The Bank Job
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: Ros is in danger - will history repeat itself? Can the team help or will a random turn of fate be the one event that could break her? All characters from 1.1 onwards may be present. Also some characters from Ultimate Force - which I don't own either
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - MI-5/Spooks belong to Kudos Productions and BBC. No copyright infringement intended, nor should be inferred.

The Bank Job

Harry sat in his office going through the reports Ros, Adam and Lucas had left on his desk the night before. He knew they all needed to be signed before he could scan them into the computer system. He hated the electronic files, not really trusting them to be secure as pen and paper. He knew Ruth and Malcolm thought he was being paranoid.

"Harry."

"Ruth." He looked up as his wife walked into the office. Clearly angry she twisted her wedding ring in her hand. "What?"

"Sky News now."

"Make that ITN, BBC, Reuters and CNN." Calum stated as he joined them. Harry frowned.

"Would either of you care to enlighten me?"

"Ros is in trouble." Calum stated. Harry felt the hair on his arms go up.

"And this is newsworthy? Doesn't Ros get into trouble most days?" He sighed as he joined his team in the outer Grid. Ros was notable by her absence. Lucas looked like he had seen a ghost. All eyes on the news stream.

"She said she had to nip to the bank once she'd dropped the kids off with Carrie." Lucas spoke quietly as CCTV footage of the local bank ran on the screen as the reporter claimed a terrorist group had hijacked the bank, taking all the staff and customers hostage. Harry shook his head.

"And we know Ros is there?"

"She's not answering her mobile." Malcolm stated. Tariq yelped as alleged turned on him.

"what?"

"I've hacked into the bank's CCTV." He turned the monitor for them to see. A grainy image of an overweight middle aged man filled the screen. His hands on his head the sweat patches under his arms apparent on his shirt. Next to him looked a remarkably controlled Ros. Harry nodded.

"Who's claiming responsibility?" Harry asked.

"So far only Icarus." Ruth explained. "We put their ring leader in prison six months ago. David Cage is currently serving six years for incitement to carry out terrorism and having bomb making paraphernalia."

Lucas ran a hand through his dark hair as he watched the grainy image of his wife. He knew she would be working, that her mind would be in spook mode. What he was worried about was her mental state; anything in a hostage situation could trigger a flashback to the siege where Jo had died; where the Bendorff Group had been targeted. Watching her as a masked man carrying a gun walked behind her he silently promised he wouldn't let her down again.

Xxxxxxx

A/N more soon

"


	2. Chapter 2

2

Ros knelt next to the man with the overpowering body odour. She knew the men that had barged into the bank just as she had reached the counter meant business. The balaclavas and flack jackets hid their identities. Narrowing her eyes she glanced at the CCTV camera in the corner wondering if anyone knew what was going on. A moment later a heavy set man pointed a gun in her face.

"Name?" The man had a distinctly English accent. She knew he was intending to scare her.

"Rosalind North."

"Where's your phone?"

"I left it in the car." She lied, knowing that the phone emitted a GPS signal. It was her only real hope that the Grid could work out where she was. The man ordered her to stand. The hostage next to her whimpered as Ros did as she was told.

"You left your phone in your car?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Forgot to charge it. It's dead, so I left it. No point carrying a phone that isn't working." She kept her voice calm, looking him in the eyes. He thought for a moment, seemingly accepting her response.

"Take your coat off."

Ros narrowed her eyes before doing as she was told. She handed him the leather jacket before he threw it on the floor. He grabbed her, holding the gun to her forehead before ordering her to empty her pockets. Ros remained silent as she emptied the contents of her pockets.

"See? A tissue, my bank card, 48p in small change. Nothing resembling a phone." She felt the blow to the back of her neck as her legs buckled. A younger woman gasped as Ros fell.

Xxxxxxx

"Icarus." Ruth walked into the Briefing Room as the rest of the team sat at the table. The space normally occupied by Ros seemed to be conspicuous by her absence. "They were formed in London about three years ago."

"What else do we know?" Harry asked. Ruth handed papers around the table.

"The ringleader is still in prison. It seems this was a small group that sympathised with IS and AQ but don't have the fire power or influence those do." Ruth explained. Zaf looked up.

"Essentially wannabes?"

"Yeah." Catherine nodded. "Looks like."

"And they've attacked the bank?" Harry frowned. "Publicity? Notoriety?"

"It could be." Ruth frowned. "They've been on our radar for a while but seemed to dissipate the moment Cage was put in prison."

"So why now?" Beth tapped her pen. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Will, Beth go to the prison. Talk to Cage." Will closed his eyes, he hated prison visiting but knew as the newest member of the team he had to take the rubbish assignments. Baghdad had been a fluke assignment. Beth pushed her chair back. "Adam, you are acting Section Chief until we have Ros back."

Adam nodded, the pair had always deputised for the other. Now his leg was healed he was back to full duties. Ruth glanced at Lucas as he stared straight ahead. She knew what had to be going through his mind. Five and a half years earlier Ros had been held hostage; Jo had died. Death by misadventure the coroner had said. Death by cop the rest of them believed. Jo had committed suicide and Ros would forever blame herself. Now she was back in a similar situation and Ruth had no way of knowing how she would react.

"Catherine." Adam started. "Find out everything and anything you can on the bank. Staff, customers, floor plans. Anything."

"Ok." She got up, leaving the room as Adam continued issuing tasks. It was only when everyone had left that Harry realised Lucas had barely said a word. Watching him for a moment he didn't know what to say; knowing that if Ruth had been locked away in the bank he would be barely functioning.

"Lucas."

"This will kill her." Lucas spoke quietly. "If anyone gets hurt this time."

"No one will. Red Troop are on standby. Lucas, this is not like the Bendorff Group." Harry crossed the room to him. "You know that. Joanna chose to ignore protocol and go in without protection. She made Ros believe she had a vest on or Ros would never have fired that gun."

"She still blames herself. She has nightmares, flashbacks."

"I'm not surprised." Harry nodded, knowing his Section Chief was the strongest person he had ever known. He also knew the strongest people were still human. "The difference this time? She's got James and Amy waiting at home, as well as a new addition to collect next week."

Lucas smiled slightly, loving the fact Ros had given in to them getting a dog on the proviso the dog was an adult that needed a home. They were picking Roxy - a Battersea Dogs home resident the following Monday. The Rottweiler X Alsatian bitch was the final addition to the family.

"Monday." Lucas paused. "I can't sit here and don't tell me to go home. James is at nursery and Amy is in school until Carrie collects them later. I don't want them disrupted. It's not fair."

"None of this is." Harry pinched his nose. "Right, in that case come to the bank with me. I could do with an objective ear on this."

"Objective? My wife is being held hostage."

"As I am aware. But this is Ros. We will get her out. And the other hostages. Trust her, Lucas she knows what she is doing." Harry paused. "You weren't exactly objective the day the hotel blew but you did your job as did she. Now, shall we?" He headed back into the main Grid just as Ruth got to her feet.

"Harry?"

"Tell the Home Secretary I've more important things to do. Keep me informed of anything you find related to Icarus." Harry smiled slightly as Ruth nodded.

"You're going down there."

"I have to."

"I know." She touched his tie as his hand covered hers. "Be careful. I would like my husband and friends back in one piece." Harry nodded once, holding her gaze for a moment before heading toward the Pods with Lucas. He just hoped Ros was coping as he wasn't sure Lucas was.

Xxxxxxxx


	3. Chapter 3

One piece

Harry drove the 4x4 through the centre of the city well aware the roads had been cordoned off around the bank. The few streets in that area were in lockdown as police and now MI-5 were on scene. Parking the car he got out, walking past the police cordon to where Staff Sergeant Garvey was talking to a rather irate police officer.

"Harry." He turned to see the older man walk towards them. "Lucas, good to see you."

"Ros is in there." Harry explained as Henry nodded. Lucas remained stoic.

"Yeah, one of your techies has been on the blower. We have access to the CCTV and I reckon Ros knows that." Henry motioned for them to follow him into an opposite building. "Calum Reed, sent me some valuable info. Seems the blue print of the bank we ad wasn't as up to date as yours."

"Ros knows we can see inside the bank?" Lucas frowned, wondering if the terrorist wannabes had also worked it out. He hoped for the sake of the hostages they hadn't. Henry nodded.

"Yeah, it looks like. Cmon, I'll show you the footage." Henry walked away forcing the two officers to follow him. Harry narrowed his eyes as he followed the younger man.

"Major Dempsey?"

"In Kabul." Henry stated firmly. "Sorry, it's me in charge."

"Let me see this footage." Harry stared at the monitor as Lucas stood beside him. The grainy CCTV footage of the bank filled the screen. Ros could be seen with blood trickling from a wound on her hairline. She was clearly alert but looked dazed. Lucas felt sick. He had no way of getting to her but he could see she was injured. Memories assaulted him of the time she had been undercover with Beth at the school. He desperately wanted to match into the bank to save her.

"How many X-Ray's?"

"At least four, judging by what Ros has been able to tell us." Henry explained. "We've got snipers covering all the entrances. I'm trying to ascertain exactly how many hostages there are." Henry stated. "So far we know the bank manager is dead. Three other hostages remain in the main area of the bank. Your Ros is one of them."

"Ok." Lucas glanced at Harry. "What now?"

"Now." Harry turned away. "We trust Ros and we wait." Harry just hoped that his team came up with something soon. As much as he hated to admit it until they heard from Ruth, Icarus had the upper hand.

Xxxxxxx


	4. Chapter 4

Counting

Ros felt sick. Her head wound stung and she was almost certain she had concussion. Forcing herself to concentrate she hoped the rest of the team had worked out what was going on.

"You!" The man that had picked on her earlier grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to her feet. She swayed slightly as she got to her feet. "Up." Silently she did as she was told, knowing it was pointless to argue. The woman sat opposite wearing the uniform identifying her as a bank employee flinched.

"She's injured. Leave her be." The Scottish woman's voice shook. Ros had to admire her bravery. The four male hostages had remained silent.

"Quiet." The man snapped.

"She's bleeding!" Ros blinked, aware her blonde hair was stained with her own blood.

"I'm ok." Ros tried to reassure her. The Scottish woman raised an eyebrow. She felt sick, the world swimming dangerously around her. Images of Jo stood in front of her mixed with reality. The masked gunman pushed her towards the phone on the cashier's desk.

"Talk."

"What?"

"On the phone. Some effing copper wants proof of life." Ros shrugged, picking up the phone.

"Hello?" She closed her eyes as she heard Lucas' voice. She knew he had lied, insisting that he was special branch and not MI 5.

"Hello." She answered. Her eyes firmly on the gunman. "You're on speakerphone."

"Ok." Lucas felt his whole body tense. "Who am I talking to?"

"Rosalind North." She frowned, well aware Lucas knew who she was. She desperately wanted to see him, gripping the edge of the table for balance she knew she was about to pass out. This was her one chance to make amends for what had happened to Jo. She knew Lucas would be devastated but it had to be done. No more deaths were going to be on her conscious.

"The bank manager is dead. There are five gunmen, six hostages." The gunfire and a woman's screams could be heard before the man next to Ros took the phone.

"Now we have two dead and five hostages." The line cut off as Lucas felt the wind knock out of him like a punch in the gut. Harry took the phone from him before setting down.

"She's dead."

"No she isn't." Harry stars firmly. "You heard a gunshot and a scream. That's all."

"She's dead." Lucas buried his head in his hands. Henry and Harry exchanged glances, neither of the wanted to admit there was a chance Lucas was right.

Xxxxxx

Ruth stared at the computer screen. She felt sick, memories of past failures sprung to mind. She knew there had been nothing that she could have done to save Danny or prevent the hotel bomb but she still carried the guilt. There was still something in here that made her think she should have been a bit faster, a bit sharper.

"Ruth?"

Malcolm walked towards her. Concern was etched on his face as she looked up.

"Anything?"

Malcolm shook his head, he hated not

"GCHQ are uncharacteristically quiet. Icarus seems to have sprung up over the last couple of weeks." She explained. "I don't like it, it's too quick. These organisations are usually on the peripheries of society. They spring up over months not days. The ringleader is still in prison." Ruth sighed. "All I can find is some reference to their ideology."

"Which is?" Erin joined them.

"Apparently a lot of nonsense." Ruth narrowed her eyes. "They've stolen and plagiarised a lot from IS and AQ. I don't think I've read an original word." She watched as the other woman shook her head. Tariq swore as Ruth turned.

"What?" Erin snapped.

"Gunfire and it's not us."

"Injuries?" Erin asked as Tariq shrugged. Ruth bit her lip, waiting for an answer.

"Don't know."

"I'll call Harry." Ruth decided as Tariq and Calum exchanged glances. Something had gone drastically awry at the bank and none of them could be certain Ros had survived.

Xxxx


	5. Chapter 5

Dead again?

The silence in the bank was almost deafening. The gunshot still ringing in the air as Ros lay motionless on the floor. The Scottish woman across the way from her kept her eyes on the gunman. She was clearly furious with the gunman who had dragged Ros towards the phone. It had become clear he was the ringleader as the other robbers hung around the peripheries.

"She's dead." He dragged Ros up by the shoulders as she let him take her whole weight. Her height made it difficult for him to manhandle her. Ros winked at the Scottish woman, unseen by her 'killer' who had yet to check for a pulse.

Xxxxx

"Lucas watch this." Henry ushered him towards the monitor that one of his officers - Becka Gallagher had set up earlier. He frowned as the image showed the room where the dead body of the bank manager had been dumped. Ros could clearly be seen propping herself up on her elbows as she looked around the room. Touching her head she felt the congealed blood there. Lucas let out a breath as the iron grip on his heart lessened slightly.

"Not dead." Henry stated firmly. "We've got to get her and the other hostages out." He turned as Harry, now accompanied by Beth walked towards them.

"I just spoke with Ruth." Harry explained. Lucas seemed to relax at the older man's words. He had always trusted Harry completely and knew Ros always had. Beth rocked back on her heels, the trainers she wore making her look out of place. She looked much younger than she was.

"Do you want the good news?" Beth asked. Henry folded his arms. "Or the bad news?"

"Go on."

"Ruth has found an ideology on this scum." Harry explained. "I think we know their weakness." He watched as Beth looked over to where two members of Red Troop were preparing to go into the bank.

"Their ringleader is still in prison." Beth folded her arms. "Just had another year added to his sentence for assaulting a prison officer. Right thug. Anyway, he says he instructed his followers to create Armageddon and cause maximum carnage to earn their notoriety."

"They're not exactly the brightest bunch of idiots I've come across." Henry narrowed his eyes. "They think they've killed Ros."

"Shit." Beth shook her head. "What now?"

"Now." Harry paused. "We trust Ros to get us as much information as she can from in there and we use the Intel Ruth has got. She's running a cross references data and facial recognition on what we have." His phone rang as if on cue. "Ruth? Slow down." He paused as he listened to her. "Hold on, you're on speaker phone." He pressed a button on his phone as she took a deep breath.

"The man that spoke to Lucas on the phone." She paced the Grid as she spoke, working a track on the carpet in Harry's office. "I ran a sound voice programme as well as a facial. He's Jeffery Swanson. Aged 45, born in Oxford. Educated in Yale. Arrested twice while living in the US."

"What for?" Beth asked.

"Aged 20 for drinking under age and drink driving."

"As I said." Henry frowned, "Scum."

Harry ignored his friend. "Ruth?"

"More concerning for us, aged 37 he was arrested for fire arm offences and threatening to kill a young Muslim couple who had the misfortune to live opposite him." Ruth continued. "He became part of Icarus when he met David Cage. Has been a sort of a sleeper agent for them since."

"So why now?" Harry asked.

"He wants Cage released." Ruth sighed. "And he wants publicity."

"Well he's going to be disappointed. I told Adam to ensure complete media blackout. Cage isn't going to be released." Harry paused. Beth glanced at Lucas.

"No. Of course we won't let Cage go but, what if he thought we were going to? If we can get him to release a hostage in return?" Beth asked. "I could pretend I'm a journalist that had interviewed Cage. Might work."

"Could get you killed." Harry spoke. Beth shrugged.

"So could lots of things. It's worth a go and might just give us a way in." She smiled as Henry nodded. It really did seem like it was their only hope.

Xxxxxxx


	6. Chapter 6

Headache

Ros stared ahead, trying to get her bearings. Her head throbbed but the wound had stopped bleeding. Deciding that she was on her own she sat up, looking over her shoulder she realised the dead body of the bank manager was still sat in the chair next to his desk. Swallowing hard to control her nausea she got to her feet, there had to be some sort of clue as to what the bunch of amateurs had wanted. Heading towards the desk the sickening drip drop of blood from the banker's head wound into his desk made her want to wretch. A photograph of two young girls in school uniform caught her attention. The youngest had to be the same age as her own daughter. Anger flared inside of her, the children in the photograph would be waiting for daddy to come home. It sickened her that because of some idiot he never would.

Bbbbbbbb

"Beth." Harry looked at her as the SAS marksman handed her a bullet proof vest. She smiled slightly as Louis ignored Harry and explained how to wear it.

"You don't have to do this."

"Someone had to. I can't wear this. The minute they see me I'm going to be searched." She handed Harry her gun. He narrowed his eyes. There was no question Beth Bailey was excellent at what she did, as the bomb disposal expert she couldn't be faulted; Harry worried history was going to repeat itself.

"I'm not Joanna Portman." Beth stated firmly. "Malcolm had given me this to wear." She held up her hand. Harry raised an eye as he saw the engagement ring.

"Isn't Malcolm a little old and a little too married?" Henry laughed. Beth rolled her eyes.

"Yes and yes." She sighed. "It's a micro transmitter. My earrings are microphones so you'll be able to hear as well as see what's happening."

Harry nodded. He made no pretence at understanding the technology but knew Malcolm always came up with some ingenious gadget that proved to be invaluable.

"Beth." Lucas sighed. "Problem is now, how do we get you in there? You can't just walk in the front door."

"True." She paused, adrenaline surging through her veins. "But I can walk through the back."

Bbbbbbbbbb

"Adam." Ruth got to her feet as the blonde spook jogged towards her through the Pods. Zaf followed behind him unzipping his parka.

"It's freezing out there." Zaf complained. "Any news on Ros?" Adam rolled his eyes.

"He's complained about the cold for hours." Adam sat at his desk. Zaf pulled a face.

"It's been cold for hours."

"Children." Alec snapped. "Can we leave the weather report until later? Harry and Lucas are at the bank. Ros appears to be injured and Beth has just broken in."

"Beth has done what?" Dimitri called from across the Grid. Adam swore as Ruth nodded.

"I was trying to tell you."

"Ok, ok." Adam conceded. "Looks like Cage's supporters are really going for it. We need an angle."

"They want Cage released; they claim he's a political prisoner." Catherine folded her arms as she spoke. Ruth nodded.

"I want to win the lottery and move to Barbados with my very own Bond Girl. Sadly I live in Hackney with Juliet. Sometimes you get what your given." Alec frowned. "He's not getting out."

"You know that." Ruth smiled slightly. "And I know that."

"But they don't. Ruth Pearce, you have a devious mind." Alec smirked. "I like it." Ruth rolled her eyes. Alec White had the cheek of the devil but Harry trusted the recovering alcoholic and that was good enough for her.

"So, what now?" Dimitri asked. Alec shrugged his shoulders. Adam looked up for a moment.

"Catherine, everything you can on the employees of the bank. Ruth, concentrate on Icarus. Any chatter? Anything on the Dark Web? Dimitri, you and Tariq go and annoy the prison service. Erin, you and Zaf get to the American consulate, they might be aware of these jokers. Zoe? Alec? Get back to the prison. Get Cage talking."

"What about you?" Zoe asked as he got to his feet. Adam ran a hand over his face.

"Me? I'm off to see a man about a dog. Keep me informed." He headed back towards the Pods without another word.

Xxxx


	7. Chapter 7

Dark Web

Ruth stared at the computer screen as various programmes searched the Internet's darkest and deepest corners. She knew there had to be some trace of David Cage and Icarus on the web; everything had an electronic trail in the 21st century, including terrorists.

"Ruth?" Calum placed a mug of tea on her desk. "You look like crap."

"Thank you." Ruth rolled her eyes. Calum had a knack of getting straight to the point. He sipped his own tea as he watched her. The analyst looked tired.

"Are you ok? Catherine said you've not eaten."

"Yes and I'm ok. I'll eat when Ros and the others are back safely. Until then, I've got work to do." She tapped a few buttons on the computer in front of her. "As do you."

"True. Do you know where Adam has gone?"

"No but he'll be in touch. Don't worry about Adam." She picked up her mug without taking her eyes off the screen. Calum looked up to see his wife watching him. He shrugged as Catherine sighed. She just hoped Ros and the others got back safely.

Xxxxxc

Adam pulled his collar up, ducking his head he knew he was barely recognisable should any CCTV pick him up. He scuttled into the alleyway behind the shops of Oxford Street.

"Tiffany." He spoke as the bleach blonde woman walked towards him. "You wanted to meet?" He glanced down to see Alfie, the Staffordshire bull terrier she adored sat at her feet. The dog yawned, clearly viewing the entire situation as beneath his attention. She nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks for coming, I know it's hard for you to get away from the station." He raised an eyebrow. "Look, Andy this is big. That idiot brother of mine is a real idiot."

"Go on."

"Have you heard of Icarus? Small time right wing divvies."

"Might have." Adam watched as Tiffany raised her eyebrows. The drizzle started to get heavier as Alfie moaned.

"Might? One day I'll get a direct yes or no from you. Anyway - there's plans to pretend to rob a bank. I heard Darren on the phone earlier today." She watched as Adam frowned.

"Pretend?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "It's designed to show the world what they are capable of. The bank is going to blow. Andy, it's a suicide mission."

"What?"

"They've no intention of coming home. It's a suicide mission. I'm telling you because as much as I think he's an idiot I don't want him to kill everyone including himself." She ran s hand through her hair. "Just do what you can, yeah? Don't let my brother be a martyr for that plank in prison." She turned, walking away knowing Adam had to do something before an apparently straight forward bank robbery turned into something much bigger. He dug his phone out of his pocket before pressing the speed dial.

"Harry, do not let Beth go into that building. It's rigged." He almost ran towards his small pool car. "Harry, the bank is rigged to blow."

Cxxxxx

Harry slammed the phone down, cursing as he turned to Lucas. The drizzle getting heavier as Lucas looked up.

"Where's Beth?"

"She's with two of Henry's team. They've gone round the back to get her in." Lucas answered. Harry swore. "What?"

"Adam has spoken to his asset. The bank isn't a robbery gone pear shaped. It's a bomb. Icarus are on a suicide mission."

Lucas' pale face drained as the words sank in. He knew the chances of convincing a terrorist determined to kill themselves not to do so were practically nil. Now they had two officers in there. He ran a hand over his face, trying to fight the panic that threatened to overwhelm him. He had to get Ros and now Beth out of the bank.

"If Beth can get in then there's no reason she and Ros or the other hostages can't just walk out again. Is there?" Henry stated. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing is that simple with Ros Myers." Lucas answered. Harry nodded, knowing that things were never straightforward where Ros Myers and Beth Bailey were concerned.

Xxxxxx

Beth stared at the small window four feet above her. She had a fair idea it belonged to the men's bathroom she had seen on the plans.

"Ok."

"How are you going to play this?" The army officer asked as she frowned.

"Well, depending on whether I break my neck or not I'm going to be the terrified bank staff who was stuck in the bog too scared to show my face." She shrugged. "Not sure I can fit through that."

"You will." She smiled as Beth shrugged.

"In for a penny."

She began to climb up through the window as she silently prayed there wasn't a reception committee in the room waiting for her.

Cxxxxxx

Ruth stared at the computer screen as the information she had been searching for began to appear on the screen.

"I need to call Harry." She bit her lip, rereading the information in front of her. She knew the information in front of her was right, no amount of cross referencing or checking was going to change it.

"Ruth?" Catherine looked up as her step mother reached for her phone. A second later Catherine and Malcolm were at her side.

"Oh my word." Malcolm sighed. "Oh dear."

Xxxxx


	8. Chapter 8

Decisions

Malcolm stared at the computer screen feeling decidedly uneasy as Ruth pressed a few keys on the screen in front of her. She frowned as the data she needed rolled out in front of her.

"Adam needs to know about this." Zaf stared as he read the words on the screen. Ruth nodded. The Acting Section Chief would need to know everything. "So does Harry."

"He's still at the bank?" Tariq asked, unnerved by Malcolm's silence. Ruth nodded.

"He won't leave until it's over." Ruth stared at the screen as Malcolm picked up the phone.

"I'll call Adam, you ring Harry."

Ruth shook her head. She grabbed her coat as the older man turned to face her.

"Ruth."

"If they're involved. If that is financing those idiots then I have to tell Harry in person." Ruth stated calmly. Catherine got to her feet. "Stay here Catherine." She was out of the Pods before anyone could stop her. Malcolm looked at Zaf.

"Go with her." Zaf nodded before running after his friend.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Adam swore as Catherine explained what Ruth had found. He drove through the disrupted London traffic listening as the newest member of the team explained what Ruth had found.

"I heard the name before, but it never really came up as relevant when I was at Six." Catherine paused. "Ruth and Uncle Malcolm seemed to think it was significant. Elena Gavrik is dead and Ilya killed himself. Sasha is in prison."

"Igor Gavrik is a former KGB officer." Adam explained. "Gavrik's are a very wealthy and well connected family. Do you know what happened last time we had any dealings with them?" He drove as fast as he legally could.

"No. Calum just said they were very bad news and I've not had the time to dig into the files yet. Is it that bad? We've had dealings with former KGB before."

Adam narrowed his eyes, Catherine had seen so much horror and violence in her life that he didn't understand how the Section Head's daughter could still see the best in whatever situation they found themselves in.

"The last time Sasha Gavrik was on our radar he was being detained for questioning. He stabbed Lucas."

"What!"

"He spent three days on a life support machine. Almost bled to death. Catherine, this was when Ruth was pregnant with Gracie- Jo. The knife was meant for Ruth, Lucas pushed in front of her."

"And you think Igor is out for revenge?"

"I think he has an agenda. His brother and sister in law are dead and his nephew is in a mental health hospital." Adam finished. "I'd bet money that financing Icarus isn't an act of altruism." He swung the car into the carpark below Thames House. "Where's Ruth?"

"Gone to the scene. With Zaf."'Adam swore, ending the call. He knew anything between the Pearce's and Gavrik's couldn't end well. He just hoped this time was the exception that proved the rule.

Cccccccc

Beth cursed under her breath as she clambered through the small bathroom window head first. Scraping her hands on the worn wooden frame she ignored the splinters that dug into her hands. Sticking a foot in the sink she tried her best to slip quietly into the room.

Xxxxx

Ros raised her head, the noise in the adjoining room meant one of two things. Either help was on the way or the more trouble was about to arrive. On wobbly legs she dragged herself to the door on the far side of the room, cursing inwardly that she didn't have a weapon to hand. The door inched open as Ros grabbed the newcomer by the hair, covering the mouth with one hand.

"Bailey."

Ros hissed as she released the junior officer. Beth rubbed her scalp as Ros released her.

"Hi."

"You're the cavalry. I am in shit."

"No, you're in the middle of a massive bomb. The bank has been rigged. So I'm your friendly neighbourhood bomb expert. Lucas, Harry and half of Red Troop are outside." She picked a splinter out of her hand as she spoke. Ros felt her gut sink. It was the hotel bomb and Jo's death rolled into one. She felt the room close in around her as the air seemed to get sucked out of the room.

"Ros? You ok?"

"I'm always ok."

"You're bleeding." Ros touched her hairline. Her hand came away soaked in blood.

"These idiots are not professionals. They think I'm dead."

"You look it."

"You want to be stationed in Syria?"

"Been there, done that." Beth shrugged. "There has to be some way of finding the explosive. A relay system." She looked over towards the corpse of the banker.

"What?"

"Oh."

"Bailey."

"The others can see us and thanks to the earrings Tariq gave me and the engagement ring Malcolm gave me."

"I won't ask."

"They can hear us and track us too." She slipped the ring from her hand and gave it to Ros. "I don't need both." She crossed the room to study the corpse of the overweight bank manager. It was something Ros had avoided doing since she had been able to get to her feet.

"Ah."

"What?"

"How many hostages are there?"

"Five."

"Right. Ros, these guys may not be professional bank robbers but at least one of them are very professional bomb makers." She crouched down, watching the small ink pad below the man's ice cold hand. Ros remained silent. "I think I've found the bomb trigger."

Xxxxxxxx

Ruth ran towards the police tape, flashing her MI 5 badge as she went. The young police man stepped aside as she sprinted across to the three men she recognised. Zaf was hot on her heels.

"Ruth." Harry turned to see her shove her ID badge back in her pocket.

"Don't" Ruth held up her hand. "I know I'm not a field officer and I know I'm disobeying orders to stay on the Grid." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Zaf tried to stop me. Right now you need to know this."

"What?" Lucas looked up.

"The bomb maker has been financed for the last year by Igor Gavrik. Ilya's younger brother. My counterpart in the KGB before it turned into the FSB. Very wealthy, very intelligent and very angry at Ilya and Elena's deaths he wants revenge."

"Understandable." Harry stated deadpan. Ruth nodded once, clearly agitated.

"He's in the UK." Zaf picked up the story.

"Under a false passport." Ruth picked up the story again. "Tariq is going through the facial recognition programme with all the CCTV footage for the last week from all major London airports. Catherine is looking into the smaller, privately owned airfields."

"Good."

"Harry, he's the financial backing for Icarus." Ruth watched Harry's face darken. To the rest of the world he was in full spook mode. To her she could tell the undercurrent of fear in his eyes. No one else would notice it; but she knew him well enough to know. "Erin and Alec are at the prison but that's a waste of time."

"Explain."

"David Cage died two hours ago." Zaf watched as Lucas swore. Ruth looked away, feeling awkward. She's planned to lie to the terrorists, making them think they would get their precious leader out of prison. Now that wasn't an option.

"Gavrik." Harry spat the name. "Igor Gavrik." Ruth nodded, remembering the heartache the Russian spies had caused four years earlier. "He makes his brother look like an amateur. Henry? Is there anyway we can storm the bank? Without killing everyone?"

The SAS man frowned, his bald head catching the light as he moved.

"If we knew exactly where the bombs were maybe. Harry, I'm not sending my team in to be massacred. Not even that idiot." He watched as his most troublesome officer Louis pulled a face.

"So? We wait?" Ruth watched as Henry nodded.

"And have a little faith." Zaf smiled. "In Tariq and Malcolm's gadgets, in Beth and Ros. Look." He nodded towards the small monitor. "I think we have something."

Cxxx


	9. Chapter 9

Monster is loose

Alec narrowed his eyes as he listened to the prison governor explain for Cage had been found dead a few hours earlier. He could see the older man was disturbed by the prisoner's apparent suicide. Erin seemed less sympathetic. Their main source of information had been murdered and the prison seemed quite happy to believe it to be a suicide.

"Of course the death will be investigated." The man stared at Erin as she raised an eyebrow.

"Of course." Erin answered. Alec looked out over the prison, wondering if the other inmates were as innocent of the death as the man in front of them wanted to be.

Xxxxxxx

"Ruth." Harry ushered her to the side of the small room his team had commandeered opposite the bank. "Why didn't you just call me? This could have been dealt with over the phone."

"I know." Ruth bit her lip. "It's the Gavrik's. Again. I had to tell you in person." Harry sighed. "I don't trust them. Igor Gavrik did the same job as I do. If I can get into the systems of most of the security services there's nothing to say he can't too."

"You think he could hack the Grid?"

"I don't know. I'm saying it's possible." She looked away for a moment. "Harry, I know about you and Elena. I need to know if there's anything you've not told me about your past with them. I need to know nothing else is going to creep out from the woodwork."

"Ruth." He paused, taking her hand. "Elena was and is the biggest mistake of my life. I was young and very stupid."

"I appreciate that but if Igor is behind all this, if Ros and the others are in danger because of the Gavrik's grudge." She blinked. "If there is anything I need to know."

"There isn't."

"I know. I just had to see you. Malcolm is running a check on all our systems. We should be clear." Ruth explained as Harry watched her. He hated how much damage his past with the Gavrik family had caused. His affair with Elena had been stupid and dangerous, the repercussions still affecting his marriage years later. He paused.

"Elena was a mistake."

"I know." She smiled. "The priority now is to stop that bank being blown up."

Harry nodded. "Ruth."

"That woman can't touch us now. I know that." She touched his hand. "Let's get Ros and Beth home, yes? Look after Lucas."

He nodded once more, turning as Zaf called his name.

"You need to see this." Zaf yelled. Both marched towards where Lucas and Zaf were watching the small monitor.

"Oh." Ruth paused, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh not again."

Xxxxxxx

Beth narrowed her eyes as she looked at the pressure pad beneath the corpse's cold dead hand.

"This is not good." She stated as Ros raised an eyebrow. The dead man was heavier than both the women combined. Beth crouched slightly, looking for a way to move the man's hand so that they could examine the pad.

"If his hand moves then the bomb goes off."

"Great."

"So we have to keep him exactly as he is until we can diffuse the actual devise." Beth straightened up. "It's a remote control. Fairly sophisticated really."

Ros pulled her phone out and took a photo. "Maybe Malcolm can work something out." She explained. Beth raised an eyebrow.

"We saw them take the phones from the hostages." She watched as Ros nodded once.

"They're idiots. I told them it was in the car and the battery was flat. They never checked me properly." She slipped the small phone back into her bra. Beth smirked, knowing Ros has been a spook so long it was part of her.

"Ok, so what now?" Beth stepped away from the corpse. Ros gripped the edge of the desk, vertigo hitting her once more. "Ros?"

"There's a woman in the bank, Shona. Scottish. Doesn't seem to be afraid - more annoyed. Bloody furious actually. She may be our way in." Ros stated as she straightened up. Beth remained silent as the door behind her clicked shut.

"Really?" A man's voice caught her attention. Beth gasped as he grabbed her, gripping her in a half nelson as Ros looked on. "And you're not dead. Didn't think we'd just leave you out here to rot?"

"Let her go."

"No can do."

He squeezed Beth's neck tightly as she gasped for oxygen. Ros narrowed her eyes, unsure what she was seeing for a split second.

"Jo."

"Move away from the desk." Ros took a step away from the ornate oak structure. She wasn't looking at the gunman, rather at the partially transparent figure at his side.

"Hi." Jo spoke calmly. "This isn't history repeating itself. Beth Bailey doesn't get to die now."

Ros narrowed her eyes. She felt her guts twist as Beth gasped. She didn't have a gun or anything she could use as a weapon. The man holding on to Beth wasn't scared to die. She glanced down, noticing the small handgun strapped onto Beth's left ankle.

"I'm sorry." Ros glanced at Jo who just smiled.

"My choice. Not yours." Jo spoke. "Save Beth - get out of here. Harry needs you. This is bigger than a robbery. This is more than it seems. Think of Lucas and your babies." Jo seemed to vanish as tears filled Ros' eyes.

"I'm sorry." She stepped back towards the desk. "I'm so sorry." The sound of gunfire filled the room as Ros slumped forward.

Xxx


	10. Chapter 10

Dead again?

Ros landed heavily on her hands and knees as gun shots ricocheted around the room. Looking up she yelled as an SAS soldier headed towards the corpse of the bank manager.

"No! He's the bomb!"

"Shit!" Louis stepped back before training his gun on the man who had been holding Beth. It was clear the gunman was dead but there were still several others in the main body of the bank. Ros gasped, struggling for a moment as two strong hands grabbed her.

"Cool head." A distinctly male voice stated. "It's Henno. Cmon."

"Beth?"

"She's alive. Pissed off but alive. Cmon."

"The hostages?"

"With Lucas and the rest of my lot. Cmon." Ros narrowed her eyes as Henry manhandled her out of the bank. She had no idea what was happening around her, the pain in her scalp burning as she tried and failed to focus. The adrenaline that had been sustaining her seemed to seep out of her body as she stumbled out into the bank's small car park. Moments later she was wrapped in a blanket as paramedics bundled her into the waiting ambulance.

"Ros."

"Sorry about this. Next time Lucas can go to the bank." She mumbled as a face mask was pushed over her face. Harry smiled slightly. "Jo?"

"She's taken quite a nasty knock to the head." The paramedic stated. "You're friend is ok."

"No." Ros blinked. "She was there."

"It's ok." Harry paused as he watched her. He knew how disconcerting seeing Jo Portman appear could be. He had believed himself to be half insane when the dead officer had apparently walked into his office. He had no doubt now Ros' mind was in some state of trauma that she was seeing Jo again. The brain was a disturbing contraption - able to work for and against the owner on its own whim.

"Everyone survived, all the hostages." Harry hoped he wasn't lying.

"We need to get her to the hospital." The paramedic stared at Harry. "Is anyone coming with her?"

"Zaf?" Ros frowned as her friend appeared behind Harry. "What are you doing?"

"Coming to the hospital with you. Someone has to make sure you don't introduce that paramedic's stethoscope to a part of his body it wasn't meant for." He climbed onto the ambulance as Harry smirked.

Xxxxx

Lucas manhandled a thick set man out of the bank towards a waiting police van. It was clear the thug he dragged away wasn't the brains of the operation. He struggled as Lucas and Dave manhandled him into the police car as Beth spoke quietly to the bomb disposal experts that had arrived. Moments later Ruth was at her side.

"Well done." Ruth hugged her friend. "Are you alright?"

"Where's Dimitri?"

"With Calum. He knows you're ok." She handed her friend the mobile as Beth smiled. "Talk to him."

"Thank you." She took the phone gratefully, listening to her boyfriend on the other end of the line. Ruth smiled slightly, walking away as she gave Beth some privacy. She knew how badly Dimitri worried about Beth, especially since Andrew Lawrence had attacked her. Leaving the couple to talk she headed over to where Harry, Lucas and Henry were talking.

"Any casualties?"

"Ros has some head injuries, the bank manager is dead and one woman has had an angina attack." Henry shrugged. "Could have been a lot worse."

"True." Lucas frowned. "Look."

"Go." Harry nodded at the younger man. "Ros is going to be driving those nurses crazy." Lucas smiled slightly, knowing he had to see his wife. Henry nodded, calling one of the soldiers over before instructing him to get Lucas to the hospital as quickly as possible. Both men hurried away as Harry turned back to the SAS officer.

"Thank you Henry." He shook the man's hand before calling across to Beth. It was time to get back to the Grid.

Cxxxxxxxxx

"Gavrik." Catherine stared at the computer screen as Zoe crossed the room towards her.

"Igor Gavrik was the brighter of the two brothers." Zoe spoke quickly as she sat next to her. Catherine nodded.

"Any news from the bank?" Catherine shook her head as Adam pulled his jacket back on. The acting section chief was worried about his friends, knowing that Ros wouldn't give a second thought to putting her life on the line to save someone else. A phone ringing in the background caught his attention. Malcolm answered it on the second ring.

"Beth?" He sighed in relief. "I'm putting you on speaker phone." He pressed a button as a collective sigh of relief filled the Grid.

"We're on our way back to the Grid. Ros and Zaf are on the way to A&E."

"Zaf?" Zoe felt sick.

"Is ok. Just with Ros. Lucas is on the way there now. We should be back in ten minutes or so. One terrorist confirmed dead and the rest in custody." Beth continued. "It stinks."

"Yeah." Adam nodded. "It stinks ok."

"Adam?" Harry's voice filtered over the line. "Gavrik's are at the root of this. Find Igor Gavrik."

"Will do." Adam ended the call before turning to the rest of the Grid. "Tariq?"

"A man fitting his description entered the country last Wednesday. False passport." Tariq paused. "He wasn't alone."

"Who was with him?"

"Dark haired woman. Skinny. Really skinny." He turned the monitor so Adam and the others could see. "No ID as yet."

"Wife? girlfriend?" Calum shrugged. "Sister?"

"I'll find out." Catherine shrugged. "Tariq."

"I'll follow the money."

Xxxxxxx

Lucas ran into the hospital, straight to the reception desk just as Zaf approached him.

"Lucas. Over here." He waved as the taller man made his way towards him. "Ros is with the doctor."

"She ok?" Lucas felt the panic rise.

"Three nasty lacerations to her scalp. Doctor's sewing her up now. I think she has a concussion. Her memory playing tricks on her." Zaf shrugged. "I'm not a doctor but she didn't seem herself."

"How?"

"She asked for Jo. She seemed really worried that Jo was there. She died six years ago. She was certain Jo was there." Zaf looked away on the verge of tears. "The Bendorf Group"

"Concussion?" Lucas paused.

Zaf got to his feet. "I'll head back to the Grid. Let me know how she is?" Lucas nodded, hoping that whatever happened in the bank hadn't affected Ros psychologically. He knew she still blamed herself for Jo's death, that she always would. No one else did. It had been Jo who had broken protocol - no back up, no weapon or vest. Ros hadn't known that when she had fired the gun. He ran a hand over his face, remembering how she had been almost catatonic with shock when he had found her. He didn't know if she could come through that again. Looking up as his name was called he saw Ros staring at him.

"You ok?"

"Me? It's you that needed stitches." He smiled. Ros narrowed her eyes.

"I'm ok. I'm always ok."

"Ros."

"If anyone asks I'm ok." He nodded, before pulling her into his arms.

"I know." He whispered into her ear. "I know."

Cxx


	11. Chapter 11

Exhausted

Ros let Lucas hold her, knowing that she was still suffering with concussion. She didn't care what the rest of the occupants of the waiting room thought. Right then she just needed her husband to hold her. Lucas kissed her temple as he held her.

"It's ok. Beth and the other hostages are ok." She screwed her eyes closed as he spoke.

"I saw Jo. I'm sure I did." Lucas paused. He knew she had been blaming herself for Jo's death. Now the anniversary of the shooting was approaching it was more acutely felt than ever.

"I know." Lucas paused. Ros pulled back, staring at him.

"Lucas, Jo died six years ago." She kept her voice low.

"Yes, I know but you have concussion. Your brain played tricks on you. Beth was there and before you ask she is back on the Grid." He led her back to the car, knowing there was no way she was fit for duty. He dug his mobile phone out of his pocket before dialling the Grid.

"Harry?"

Xxxxx

Harry answered the phone just as Zaf returned to the Grid. He closed his eyes as he listened to Lucas explain how Ros had sustained a concussion and had eleven stitches in total. He punched the bridge of his nose, knowing Ros would hate to be incapacitated for any length of time.

"Take her home. There isn't much going on here." Harry lied slightly. "Ruth and Catherine are going through the video footage of the bank. There isn't much else we can do until tomorrow." He ended the call as Ruth stepped into the office.

"Dimitri and Beth are meeting an asset and then he's taking her home."

"Good." Harry smiled slightly.

"Icarus." Ruth paused as he looked up. "Have apparently sprung up from nowhere. Darren, the man that tried to kill Beth has a number of convictions for violence. Has served time in a number of prisons, including the one where Cage died."

Harry stepped past her, closing the door and pulling the blinds. Ruth turned to face him.

"Harry?"

"You were supposed to stay on the Grid." He spoke calmly. It was rare that Harry really chastised any of his team, knowing that it was a waste of time as far as Ros, Lucas and Adam were concerned. Ruth nodded.

"I know."

"Then why? Why did you leave Catherine and a relatively junior team on the Grid?"

Ruth frowned slightly.

"Malcolm and Calum were here. Neither exactly junior."

"That's besides the point!"

"What is the point? I had information I had to get to you. The only way I knew to do that securely was to see you in person. You know Malcolm and Tariq are running security checks on the comms systems. If Igor has access to the Grid, everything is compromised."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew she was right. In the space of eight hours his friend had been injured and almost killed along with a junior officer. He knew the similarities between the attack on the Bendorf Group and the bank would be glaringly obvious to those of them that had lived through Jo's death.

"If that bomb had gone off." Harry paused. Ruth suddenly saw what Harry was really worried about.

"You could have been killed." Ruth touched his arm. "Harry."

"That doesn't matter." He paused. "That didn't even occur to me. You being there." He sighed, resting his hand on her hip. Ruth sighed.

"Harry, I do my job. Our relationship doesn't affect this." She watched as he nodded. "It was close today."

"Too close." He pulled her into his arms. "Ruth." She kissed his jaw as he closed his eyes.

"It's ok. We're all ok."

"I'll send the others home." He stepped away from her as Ruth sighed. The bomb could have exploded wiping out everything in a two mile radius. Innocent people would have been killed. Moments later he returned to the office - pulling her into his arms as she looked up at him.

"I'm ok." She let him brush her hair away from her face. "Ros will be fine. Beth is ok."

"If that bomb had gone off." Harry kissed her. "I'm losing my touch Ruth. I'm getting old."

"No." She shook her head. "Take me home, Harry." She stepped away, holding his hand. "Let's go home."

Xxxxxx

Beth pulled her hair out of a ponytail as Dimitri stepped out of the bathroom. He was exhausted - the last few hours in work taking its toll on him. He grabbed a t shirt before sitting on the bed to remove his prosthetic leg.

"You ok?"

"Icarus want us to think they are jokers. That bomb was professional." She climbed into bed as Dimitri joined her. "Pressure pad activation - that's financed by someone with serious money."

"Beth."

"Tariq is going through the financial records of the Gavrik's." She sighed as she pulled the duvet over her. Dimitri laughed.

"Beth, can we please not talk about Tariq in the bed? I love him too but I don't want to talk about him in bed." He pulled her to him as she wriggled closer to him. "You walked into a bomb today."

"I know. It's what we do." She paused as he kissed her. "Dim?"

"Beth, don't downplay what you did. You could have been killed." He spoke quietly as he she ran her hand through his hair. "Beth, it was too close today."

"I know." She kissed him back, hands pulling at his t shirt as the light from the street light outside the bedroom illuminated the couple. All talk of bombs and terrorists were forgotten as Dimitri kissed her once more.

Xxxxx

Tariq shook his head as he stared at the information on the computer in front of him. He had known the Gavrik's had been a very wealthy and influential family. The money seemed to have evaporated on the death of Ilya three years earlier.

"Bloody Hell." He paused, knowing that he had to get the information to the rest of the Grid. He picked up the phone, pressing speed dial.

"What?" Calum snapped. "This had better be good."

"I know where the money leads. Meet me on the Grid." He ended the call before grabbing the computer and heading out of his flat. At last there seemed to be a breakthrough in the case. He just hoped it helped.

Xxxxxx


	12. Chapter 12

Monsters

Beth stared at the bedroom ceiling as Dimitri snored next to her. She had been exhausted when they had arrived home but now her mind was working overtime. Nothing about Icarus attacking the bank made any sense. The sophistication of the bomb had surprised her, knowing that the size of the explosive could have killed anyone within a three mile radius. She turned on her side, watching her boyfriend as he slept.

"Dim?" She sighed as his arm reached for her almost subconsciously. She sighed, remembering his father's words to her at Christmas. Dimitri was loyal, if he loved you he'd die for you. She shifted so his head came to rest on her chest.

"Would you have coped? If the bomb had killed me and the others? Would you have been ok?" She whispered as he mumbled in his sleep. She hugged him to her, hoping he wouldn't have to find out.

Xxxxxxxx

Lucas switched the television news from BBC to SkyNews and back as Ros walked into the living room.

"Amy, James and Boris are sleeping." She sat in front of him as he began massaging her shoulders. "Lucas?"

"You should be asleep too. Ros, you were hit around the head with a gun."

"I know." She closed her eyes as she felt his hands on her skin, slipping beneath the cream vest top she was wearing as part of her pyjamas. "I was there."

"I know." He kissed her neck. "The last time I was that scared we nearly lost Amy."

"Don't." She rested her hand on his. "Please don't think about that. She's ok. James is ok. Even that Staffy we adopted seems to be ok."

"Good." She turned, resting her hand on his cheek before kissing him soundly. Lucas pulled her up into his lap, knowing how difficult it was for his wife to initiate contact - for them to be intimate after her attack at the hands of Harrison less than two years earlier. But he loved her passionately and knew he would never push her.

"Lucas." She breathed as she pulled away from him. "Turn the TV off and come to bed." He did as he was told, never dropping her hand as she lead him towards their bedroom.

Xxxxxxx

"This." Calum yawned "had better be good." He looked around the Grid, sighing as he realised Tariq hadn't arrived. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the voicemail and missed calls, hoping that his friend was just running late and he was being paranoid.

Xxxxxxx

"Daddy!" Harry smiled slightly as he felt Gracie climb into bed. He knew he should take the three year old back to her own room, where she had a perfectly comfortable bed of her own. "Mummy!"

"Hi." Ruth yawned. She groaned as she looked at her watch. "Gracie, sweetheart what's wrong?"

"Bad dream."

"Oh dear." Harry sighed. "Can't have that."

"No." Gracie shook her head. Blue eyes wide in horror. "Monsters took Mummy away. Monsters from under my bed!"

"Squeak, there are no monsters in this house. I promise." Harry woke properly, wondering how his daughter could inherit a version of his own worse nightmare.

"There is! Mum!"

"Come here." She hugged her daughter. "We're all ok. I'm never going to leave you. Or Daddy and Nick. I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

Ruth held out her little finger as Gracie smiled. Moments later Harry groaned as his phone rang. "Calum." He mouthed as Ruth settled their daughter for the rest of the night.

"This had better be good?"

"It's Tariq." Calum paused. "I'm at City General. He was attacked on his way back to the Grid tonight. He called me to say he'd found something big. Now he's in ITU. Looks like he's been beaten up and poisoned."

"I'm on my way." Harry ended the call before explaining to Ruth what had happened. It seemed Gracie-Jo had been right - monsters were real.


	13. Chapter 13

Tariq

Harry felt sick as he drove towards the hospital. He knew Calum had already called Tariq's father. The older man had signed the Act so Harry knew he didn't have to worry about any more secrets and lies. He hit the speakerphone on his dashboard as he realised the smart phone Graham had insisted he bought rang.

"Ruth?"

"You'll be pleased to know, after a complete search of all bedrooms there are no monsters under any beds. Are there Gracie-Jo?" Harry smiled as he heard his daughter laugh.

"All gone."

"Good." Harry smiled. "Bet Nick didn't appreciate being woken up."

"Not really." Ruth sighed. "Be careful. Let me know as soon as find out what happened to Tariq." Ruth sighed as Gracie laughed.

"Love you Daddy!"

"She's on top form today." Harry smiled. "See you later Squeak!" She giggled as Ruth let her run over to the cats.

"She is. Last time I let her watch Monsters Inc before bed." Ruth sighed. "Be careful."

"I will. See you on the Grid." He ended the call as he pulled the car into the car park of the hospital. Part of him dreaded to think what he would find.

Xxxxxx

Ros walked back into the Grid as the usual chaos carried on around her. Adam and Zaf were staring at a computer screen. Malcolm looked as if he was about to burst into tears while Erin and Alec spoke quietly with Dimitri at their desks. Ruth appeared to have shut herself off as she concentrated on the screen.

"Any news?" Ros asked as she headed towards the analyst's work station. Ruth bit her lip.

"Tariq was badly beaten last night. Malcolm is looking through the CCTV. I'm trying to find the toxin he was injected with. See if there is a link to the Gavrik's."

"Rather than Icarus?"

"Ros." Ruth paused. "I think Icarus is a front for Igor Gavrik. He paid David Cage and those men to do his dirty work. I've been through their bank accounts."

"Don't you need a court order to do that?" Lucas asked as he handed both women mugs of tea.

"Technically." Ruth shrugged.

Ros and Lucas smirked as Ruth turned her attention back to her computer screen.

Xxxxx

"Harry." Mas Masood headed towards him. "Thanks for coming."

"How is he?" Harry asked, the thought of the baby of the team being attacked made him feel sick. The hospital corridor seemed too sterile as he approached Tariq's father.

"Stable." He sighed. "Whatever that means."

"Mas."

"Harry, he's a good boy. Hard working, cares about the work you do." Harry nodded.

"He's not called the Boy Wonder for nothing. Malcolm and Calum work well with him. He's outstanding at what he does."

"Then why would anyone poison him? Harry, an Asian boy getting beaten up on a London street isn't even going to make the news." Mas paused. "But poison?"

"I don't know." Harry answered honestly. "Calum called me. That's the first I heard of this. What about your wife?"

"Is visiting her sister in New Zealand with our girls. She's trying to get a flight home." He sighed. "This is a nightmare. An absolute nightmare."

Both men looked up as Calum walked towards them. The younger man looked relieved. Harry waited as Calum approached.

"Mr Masood, the doctor wants to talk to you." Mas excused himself before heading towards the room where Tariq was being cared for. Calum smiled slightly.

"Calum?"

"Tariq had this under his watch strap." He held a small memory stick in his hand. "This is what he was attacked for."

"What the Hell did he find?"

"I have no idea. Malcolm should be able to get into this for Ruth to work on." Calum shrugged as Harry stared at the small devise. It reminded him of the small fitness device Catherine had worn since Christmas. He made a mental note to ask what it really was, knowing Tariq had a knack of adapting tech to suit them.

"Get this to Malcolm." Calum nodded. "We have to know what Tariq had found."

"Was it worth this?"

"To the scum who hurt him? Yes. Sadly it probably was." Harry sighed. "I want to talk to Mas before I leave here."

Calum nodded, knowing there was no way he could argue with his boss. Tariq had trusted him to deal with whatever he had found. He just hoped that Tariq didn't die. He didn't know how the Grid would be affected if he did.

Xxxxx

"Tariq." Dimitri shook his head. "Why would anyone want to hurt him?" He ran a hand over his face. Beth and Erin looked away. The blonde woman was furious as well as desperately worried.

"The money." She sighed. "He always follows the money. It has to be something to do with that." She looked up as Calum walked in, heading towards a clearly shaken Malcolm.

"Any news?" Erin called. Calum shared his head.

"His Dad is at the hospital. They're waiting on test results. Doc thinks he was given an overdose of insulin."

"But he's diabetic." Catherine paused.

"Yeah." Calum nodded. "Too much insulin is very dangerous." He sat down heavily. "His blood sugars dropped too low - his brain shut down."

"Oh God." Catherine bit her lip. She knew the baby of the team was seriously ill, the thought he could be left permanently brain damaged - if he survived made her feel sick. Calum handed the small device to his friend.

"He wanted me to look at that. It's why he was attacked."

"I'll get on with it." Malcolm sighed, glad to have a task to focus on. Ruth looked away, she was desperately worried about her friend but knew Gavrik was capable of so much more.

Xxxx


	14. Chapter 14

Genus?

Malcolm stared at the small device in his hand. He knew Tariq had been working on a new gadget - a more spy friendly version of a fitness tracker, now he wondered just how effective the little device was.

"Can you decide it?" Calum asked as Malcolm raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. How come Tariq managed to keep hold of it?"

"It was under his watch strap. The scum who did this weren't professional. Didn't fleece him properly." He sighed. "He was left to die. How?"

"Cal?" Catherine joined them, squeezing his hand as she stood next to him.

"Bad people keep trying to kill us." Calum shrugged his shoulders. "You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

"We will get to the bottom of this." Malcolm stated firmly. "I taught Calum and Tariq encryption so I should be able to get into this shortly. Calum I believe it is your turn to make the tea." He sat at his desk as the younger man nodded before heading to the small kitchenette.

Xxxxxx

"Ma'am." Will jogged towards Ros as she put on full Ice Queen mode. He came to a stop next to her and Ruth. The analyst smiled slightly as Ros turned, looking around the Grid.

"Ma'am?"

"Ros." Ruth looked pointedly at her friend. Ros frowned.

"I thought we had a Royal visit for a minute then. Will, if you want to stay here never refer to me as Ma'am. I'm not the Queen and if you slipped up and did it in the field you could get us both killed."

"Sorry." Will looked abashed. He glanced at his feet, hating being the new boy. Ruth took pity on him as Ros headed to where Beth and Erin were deep in conversation.

"What is it, Will?" Ruth watched as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

"She hates me."

"Don't take it personally." Ruth smiled slightly. "Ros doesn't actually hate anyone. There's just not many people she likes. Prove you know your stuff and she'll respect you. And she'll fight your corner if needed when you need it."

"Yeah?"

"Section D. It's how we operate. Harry has a tight knit team here; that's why all this with Ros getting injured and Tariq's attack is so awful." She watched as he nodded slowly. "We used to be a tiny section - as close as any family. Lives depend on us working together. Now there's more money in antiterrorism we're just a bigger family."

"I heard. Didn't realise until I went to Iraq with Harry and Lucas." He ran a hand over his eyes.

"What is it?" Ruth watched as Will

Frowned slightly.

"The money. Tariq was following the financial records of the Gavrik's but he asked me to find out what had happened to Sasha Gavrik since your last encounter. Ruth nodded, she had a feeling she wasn't going to like what he had to say.

Xxxxxxx

"I called my wife." Mas Masood stated as he headed back to the waiting room where Harry was talking to a young nurse. "Her, Sunita and Aliya are getting the next flight to Gatwick."

"I'll have Dimitri Levandis meet them, they can come straight here." Harry sent a text message to the ex SBS officer.

"Thanks."

"His BM has always been well controlled. Harry, he was injected with insulin. He had 14 units of novorapid in the morning and night with his long acting insulin before bed. He had ten times that in his blood. His BM was 0.1mmols on the blood test earlier. Someone knew he had to know insulin overdoses can be fatal. They had to know he's a type 1 diabetic."

"Yes, I agree." Harry nodded. "Tariq has never hidden his diabetes."

"Why should he?"

"He shouldn't. I have a call to make. Excuse me." He picked up his mobile before heading away from the older man. Seconds later he was talking to Ruth.

"Whoever did this had to know Tariq has diabetes." He spoke quietly.

"You think records have been stolen?"

"I think someone has given Icarus and by extension Igor Gavrik out med files." Harry listened to Ruth gasp. "I need to know who and how. I'm on my way back to you."

He ended the call, feeling sick as he looked up to see Mas sat outside his son's room burying his head in his hands as he cried.

Hhhhh


	15. Chapter 15

Home to Roost?

Dimitri felt sick as he waited at the airport terminal. He ignored the families and holiday makers waiting to leave the UK, focusing on the arrivals board. The flight bringing the Masoods home was due to land in less than an hour but Dimitri prided himself on his punctuality. Besides he needed time to think. Ros getting herself caught up in a failed bank job was one thing, Tariq being deliberately and viciously targeted was a whole new ballgame. He headed towards the cafe in the airport deciding that the best way to help his mind focus was a very strong and very sweet coffee.

Xxxxx

"Oh." Malcolm frowned as Erin headed towards him. He kept his eyes on the data scrolling up the monitor's screen. His face a mask of concentration as Ruth turned to them.

"Are you in?"

"It would seem so. This is outrageous! This isn't just financial records the boy discovered it is plans for a terrorist attack on the heart of London!" Malcolm slumped back in his chair. Ros and Adam both stopped what they were doing. "We really do not give that boy enough credit."

"Go on." Adam narrowed his eyes.

"The money, billions of US dollars are attributable to Ivor Gavrik. We knew he was a millionaire."

"If you tell me Teflon Tess is involved in this I may become homicidal." Ros interjected. "What!" She smirked as both Ruth and Lucas shot her a look.

"No evidence of that particular witch just yet. Did you know witches were once revered?" Malcolm knew he was babbling. Ros nodded.

"Cash goes back to Gavrik junior. Ok? So he's financing Icarus. What about the attack?" Ros folded her arms. Her head pounded but she had to concentrate. She owed Tariq that much.

"Oxford Street. I fear attacking Tariq was as much to distress and distract as it was to get the information back." Malcolm shook his head angrily. "Scum."

"But Tariq is too clever for them. Good work." Lucas pulled on his leather jacket. "Beth?"

"Where are you going?" Adam asked. Lucas shrugged.

"To see a man about a bomb."

Xxxxxx

Harry paused as Masood collected himself. He had no idea what to say, knowing that he had been inconsolable when Graham had been attacked.

"Harry."

"I spoke with Ruth." Harry stated. "Dimitri is waiting for the flight."

"He's a good lad. Tariq loves working with him. I did sorry that he was a bad influence - what with him being ex navy. But I was wrong."

"Dimitri is a good man."

"He and Tariq are good friends. He was devastated at his accident." Masood sighed. "I know little of what you do but I know it's important. Tariq always tells me he is in an office. Boring computer work and nothing else. Nothing dangerous."

"Usually that's the case. He was meeting another member of my team - heading back to the office when he was attacked. That much we have established."'Harry watched as the Asian man closed his eyes.

"My boy could die. My only son. If he lives he may be brain damaged from the overdose of insulin and the kicks to his head." He watched as Harry nodded. "Harry, all I ask of you is that you find the people responsible for this and you make them pay."

"We will." Harry got to his feet. "I promise you that." He shook Masood's hand before heading out of the hospital.

Xxxxxx

Ruth frowned, running the information Malcolm had found at the same time as what they knew about the Gavrik's and Icarus. She had hated Elena with a passion, not only because of her past with Harry but because she had manipulated it; used her own son as a pawn in the twisted game she was playing. Hundreds of people could have been killed and the red haired woman had mocked them.

"Anything?" Erin asked.

"Not yet. But there's a connection. I know there is." Ruth tapped a few keys. Erin nodded.

"I'm meeting Richard in ten minutes. I'm going to see what the CIA have on these."

"The last time the Gavrik's were on our radar, people died. Harry was almost deported. It was a nightmare." Ruth looked at her friend. "Erin, Ilya and Elena are dead. There's no changing that but Igor inherited his brother's fortune. Which, as Tariq found out is substantial. I know he hates Harry and I. But I don't see that as a motive for blowing up London. I just." She turned back to the screen. "Oh, call Ros. Now." She turned back to the computer as Erin waved the Section Chief over to them.

Xxxxx

Beth sat in the drivers seat of the small pool car. She was furious that her friend had been attached. Tariq was the least offensive, quietly intelligent person she knew. The fact someone had hurt him made her want to be sick.

"Why are we here?" Beth turned to Lucas. The rain splattered the window as Lucas glared ahead.

"A contact of mine lives over there. Stay here." He slipped his seatbelt off.

"Lucas."

"Look, if I'm not back in the car in fifteen minutes then you get back to Thames House. I just want to see what Viktor has to say about any bomb scare." Lucas stared ahead.

"Who?"

"An old prison mate of mine. He was imprisoned because he spied for the UK. He also made bombs and explosives for the Russian Army." Lucas smiled.

"Useful bloke."

"I hope so." Lucas smiled before leaving the car. Beth just hoped they would get the answers they need.

!


	16. Chapter 16

Fifteen minutes

Ros read the computer screen over Ruth's shoulder, anger burning in the pit of her stomach as she saw what the analyst had found.

"This is how he got into the country?" Ruth nodded. "Fake Visa, fake passport and ID."

"Yes."

"Old school." Ros tilted her head. Part of her admired the tradecraft another part wanted to destroy the older Russian. "Who is that with him? Mistress? Wife?"

"Neither." Ruth frowned. "Igor Gavrik is gay. It's a very very well kept secret, especially as the 21st century Russia isn't exactly embracing all walks of life."

"Isn't homosexuality illegal there?" Catherine asked. Ruth nodded.

"Initially decriminalised in 1993, it is heavily frowned upon. Social, economic, every walk of life is just so much more difficult for a Russian citizen if he or she happens to be gay." Ruth sighed. Ros rolled her eyes.

"He tried to have thugs batter my head inside out; blow up a bank, had Tariq put in intensive care. I'm not going to feel sorry for him." Ros folded her arms.

"No one is asking you to." Malcolm huffed. "Although, how anyone can behave the way the current Russian administration ."

"Ok." Catherine interrupted. "Who's the hard faced cow next to him?"

"That." Ruth paused. "Is Isa Dubovek."

"She's alive?" Adam was across the room in seconds. Harry entered the Grid as Ruth nodded.

"Very much so."

"Who?" Harry barked.

"Isa Dubovek."

"The Black Widow?"

"Yeah." Ruth nodded. "Igor is the money - she's the brains. Icarus was a front. David Cage was murdered so that he didn't reveal his financial backers. The bank robbers - fall guys."

Harry nodded, reading the screen over Ruth's shoulder. His eyes darkened as the memories of his time in Moscow came back to haunt him.

Cxxxxc

Lucas jogged over the road, pulling his collar up against his neck as the icy rain slid down his skin.

"Viktor." Lucas ducked into the awning. The pitter patter of rain on the metallic roof making his pulse race and his mouth dry.

"Ah!" The wiry built man appraised him from over the frames of his glasses. "You look well. Lucas, my friend. You are worried about something?"

"Aren't I always?" Lucas looked out at the rain. The grey haired man smirked.

"True, very true. The rain hitting the metal. Takes you back? No?"

"I'm not here for a trip down memory lane." Lucas rounded on him. "I need information. I knew you were playing both sides back then. I know you were a bomb maker. What I want to know is are you still doing that?"

"Now?" He held up both hands; destroyed by rheumatoid arthritis and torture. Lucas sighed. "I have a hard time with shoelaces." Lucas cursed himself. Immediately apologetic he looked away as Viktor shrugged.

"No need to be sorry. Lucas - you need to ask a different question. Do I know who the Widow is? Yes, I do. Do I know why she wants to blow up half of London? No. Do I know who she would go to so that a bomb is to be made? An IED? Yes I do."

"Who?" Lucas stared at him.

"She is known as The Fire Angel." Viktor handed him a slip of paper. "Do not come here again." He walked away leaving Lucas to watch him go.

Cccccccc

Richard smiled as Erin slipped her arm through his arm. The rain had abated slightly, the cold permeating her bones. Now, as she explained what had happened she watched him closely.

"Tariq? The kid with the diabetes?"

"And an IQ higher than most of the CIA put together." Erin watched him raise an eyebrow.

"Is he ok?" Richard asked, genuinely concerned. He knew the dangers of their work but Tariq's attack was still shocking. He liked the slightly hyperactive and over enthusiastic nerd.

"No. He's on a life support machine. Possibly permanent brain damage. Possibly never going to wake up." Erin's voice caught. "Sorry, it's just." Richard pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"I'll help. Whatever I can." He kissed her hair, ignoring the way she shivered as he did. "Erin."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologise for caring about your friends, your team." He brushed soaking wet hair away from her face, his chocolate brown eyes locked into hers. The atmosphere changed as he closed the gap between them. Erin closed her eyes as he kissed her.

Cccccccc


	17. Chapter 17

Faking it

Lucas headed back towards the car, trying to ignore the rain as it hit the pavement and pattered on the shop awnings. He knew Beth would be worried if he didn't reappear within the fifteen minutes he had promised.

"Ok?" She turned to face him as he opened the passenger side door before trying to squash his six foot two frame into the small car.

"Yeah."

"Useful?"

"Possibly."

"Lucas?"

"Back to the Grid. I need Ruth to run this through the data bases for me. And I need to talk to Harry and Adam." He paused. "Adam would have been Section Chief when this woman was first on our radar."

"What woman?" Beth asked as she drove away from the curb. Lucas stared straight ahead.

"All I was told is Fire Angel."

"What the fu!"

"You know her?"

"I chased her through Europe before I ran into you and Dim. She should be dead!" Beth pushed her foot to the accelerator. The anger in her voice surprising Lucas.

"You were chasing her."

"Private sector, remember. She's a nasty, evil murderous little bitch. 5 ft 1 and full of spite. Will sell her granny if the price is high enough." She swerved to avoid a cyclist. Lucas glanced at her, suddenly wondering if letting her drive was a good idea.

"Name? I'm assuming her parents didn't call her Fire Angel on her birth certificate."

Beth raised an eyebrow.

"Close enough." Beth narrowed her eyes. "Dabria Aleksandria Dubrevnikov."

"I can see why she has a nickname." Lucas teased. "Dabria? As in Angel of Death?"

"That's the one." Beth nodded as Lucas couldn't help but see the irony.

Xxxxxxxxx

Will sat on the bench with his head in his hands. He was lost. Tariq had been good to him since he had started in Section D. Him and Dimitri had gone out of their way to welcome him into the strange little family. He knew he was only supposed to be temporary but since Dimitri's accident and the ever present threat of Da'esh, AQ and a million other groups he had stayed. Now he wondered why.

"Hi." He looked up to see a familiar brunette watching him.

"Hi Ruth."

"Can I sit down?"

He nodded, allowing her to sit next to him. He stared at his feet as Ruth watched him. He was young, a year older than Tariq. Had already been on missions to Iraq and risked his life more times than she could count.

"It's hard. Being in Section D."

"First Adam and Zaf, now Ros and Tariq? It's insane."

"You saved Zaf and Adam from the Redbacks. That is not something to be underestimated. They are alive and well because of you, Lucas and Harry."

"And the Intel we had from home."

"Maybe." Ruth smiled slightly. "It will be awful a lot of the time but there are days when we win. Focus on those and keep going."

"What if I can't?"

"You can. Can't go on- must go on. Come on, they'll be wondering where we are." She stood, ushering the new boy back towards Thames House. She glanced at him, knowing that the newest member of the team had already seen too much to ever go back to what the rest of the world considered a normal life. Sighing she answered her phone as it rang.

"Yes Malcolm, we're OK. I'm on my way back with him now." She sighed, ending the call.

"No rest for the wicked?" Will asked. Ruth smiled.

"No. So there isn't any for us either. Beth and Lucas have something. Come on." She walked away, giving the younger man no option but to follow. For a moment he saw exactly what Harry saw in her. The thought was disconcerting.

Xxxxxxxxx

Dimitri hugged the older woman as Zena pulled him into her arms. Sayera and Sabrina hung back slightly. The younger girl looked terrified.

"Thanks for meeting with us." Zena sighed. "My boy?"

"Mas is with him. I left the hospital to come here." He took the suitcase from the youngest Masood sister. Sabrina smiled slightly. "He hasn't left him since he got to the hospital."

"I know." She sighed. "Who would do this? Will you take me there?"

"And us." Sabrina stared at her mother. "I'm thirteen. I'm old enough. And I figured out this isn't some random scumbag's efforts."

"Racism." Her mother sighed.

"Probably has something to do with this, I know Mum but that isn't the whole story. He's my brother and I know he works for MI 5."

"How do you know that?" Dimitri narrowed his eyes. He was met by eyes just as dark and determined.

"I heard you, Tariq and my dad once."

"Evesdropping! What have I told you about that? Sabrina Masood!" Her mother shook her head. Dimitri's smile stopped her chastising the girl.

"Ok, yes. Tariq works for us. And I'll not discuss it here. Car, now and I'll tell you the whole story. Then you get to sign the Official Secrets Act." He walked on ensuring the Masood women followed him. He stopped short as he felt a hand on his arm.

"I don't care what my boy does for work. I do care that he works with good people. I'll sign anything you want me to but take me to the hospital first. I need to see my boy."

Dimitri nodded.

"Of course." He held her gaze. "Come on." He led them towards the carpark hoping Tariq would be awake when they got there.

Xxxxxxx

"Ruth!" Harry called as she and Will arrived back on the Grid. She smiled slightly before heading towards her husband.

"Lucas' contact came up trumps." Malcolm explained as she reached them. "We actually have a name for the bomb maker. Well, thanks to Beth we have a nickname and a birth name."

Ruth frowned, looking at the paper Lucas had given Harry.

"No. She's dead." Ruth but her lip. "Six months after I ended up in Cyprus. She died setting fire to a Greek Cypriot monument. Her body was dragged out. I only heard because it made the Cypriot news." Ruth stared at the name. "She couldn't have survived it." She avoided Harry's gaze as she tapped the name into the computer. "No one could."

"She did." Lucas frowned.

Ruth nodded as she began looking at the information she wanted. "I'll have a little look at the Cypriot embassy files; but if she didn't die why broadcast that she did? You know her name literally translates into English as Death Angel?"

"Very Apt." Ros snapped. A phone ringing caught her attention as she headed towards her desk. She picked up the phone as Ruth continued to look at the computer. Ros hung up the phone before turning to face the team.

"That was Dimitri. Tariq is awake." Harry and Ruth smiled at each other. It was the first piece of good news since Ros had walked into the bank. Now they just had to put the pieces of the jigsaw together.


	18. Chapter 18

Confusion

Tariq took a deep breath as the doctor palpated his stomach. He knew the older man was trying to assess what damage had been done but all he wanted to do was sleep. He screwed his eyes shut as the doctor pressed on his abdomen.

"Painful?"

"No. Cold hands."

"Tariq." Mas raised an eyebrow as he watched his only son. The doctor nodded.

"Sorry - the good news is your blood sugar has improved. It's stabilised well." The doctor smiled. "I'm sure, now that you're awake and they've stabilised the BM then we should move you to the Ward."

"That's fantastic." Masood smiled. "Isn't it, son?"

Tariq nodded slowly, aware the movement made his head hurt. He had always managed his diabetes well, seeing it as a programme that had to be maintained. Now all he wanted to know was why he wasn't at home, in his own bed. Everything hurt, his head throbbed and he was desperate for a drink; the drip in his arm not enough to satisfy his need for fluid.

"Mum and the girls are on the way." Masood watched him frown. "Dimitri is picking them up from the airport around now."

"Oh."

"Tariq?" Masood sat next to him as the doctor left. "Are you ok?"

"No."

"Ok." Masood looked at the floor. "Can you tell me what happened? Do you know why you are in hospital?"

"I."

"Take your time." He touched his arm. Tariq swallowed hard.

"I want to go home."

"I know." He smiled sadly at his son. "And you will. Soon." Tariq narrowed his eyes.

"Ok. Soon."

"Tariq?" Masood sighed as he watched his son close his eyes. "You rest. We can talk later, yeah?" He looked up to see Zena and Dimitri stood in the doorway. Dimitri nodded, relieved at having heard his friend's voice he slipped out of the room to call Ros.

Xxxxxxx

Harry stared at the computer screen, hardly able to believe Igor Gavrick had agreed to the bank robbery. It had been a pure fluke that Ros had decided to go into the bank that morning. Now, four days later they were in the midst of what could only be described as a nightmare. He looked up as his section chief walked towards him.

"Dimitri is at the hospital with the Masood family."

"Good." Harry spoke quietly. "Igor Gavrik and Ilya were never close. There was a time when Bill and I thought we could get him to work for us. Easily led, idealistic."

Ros raised an eyebrow. The man in his late forties looked anything but naive.

"He is FSB."

"Senior Analyst."

"A male Ruth."

"God." Ruth pulled a face. "That doesn't bare thinking about." She tapped a few keys, changing the screen.

"So why now? Why David Cage and why are Fire Angel and Black Widow in the UK? Too many questions." Ros folded her arms, her head still pounding. Her eyes narrowed as she leant against the desk.

"Not enough answers. The man that had shared a cell with Cage is dead. Cage is dead. The only real link to Icarus and the men who attacked our Tariq are those three people." Ruth sighed. "I can't find anything on Fire Angel still being alive. All media reports say she died in the fire years ago in Cyprus."

Harry and Ros exchanged glances, knowing Ruth was still angry that they hadn't prevented Tariq's attack. He knew she blamed herself for not seeing it before it happened. Part of him was terrified she'd slip back into the depression that had almost killed her years earlier. He knew Danny's murder had been the trigger, then seeing George killed in front of her had sent her mental state spiralling downwards. He hoped it wasn't going to be a third setback. Not when she had been so happy.

"Tariq's information." Malcolm approached them, a rare smile on his lips. Ros turned to him. "Ruth is correct. That is not Fire Angel. She's dead. Tariq had her real identity."

"Identity theft from one psycho to another." Calum interjected. "You wait until you see the images." Harry frowned, knowing he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"Ros?"

"What?"

"Next time try online banking." He watched her roll her eyes before calling everyone into the Briefing Room. It was going to be a long day.

Cccccc


	19. Chapter 19

Fire and Ice

Ros folded her arms as she leant against the wall of the Briefing Room. Her head burned as she tried to focus on who was being said. The absence of Tariq seemed all the more acute as Beth and Dimitri took their seats, leaving Tariq's chair beside her empty.

"So?" Will frowned. "Fire Angel isn't who we think she is?"

"Someone is pretending to be her." Ruth stated firmly. "She died in the fire she started in Cyprus. Her remains have been DNA tested. I wasn't here at the time but I thought it would have made the news here." She looked around the table as a few blank faces stared back at her.

"When was this?" Calum asked. Ruth sighed.

"2006."

"Ten years ago?" Will raised his eyebrows. "I was still in high school."

"Yes Mr Crombie. And unless you are planning on adding anything new to this discussion or believe a posting to Syria would suit you may I suggest you keep quiet." Harry spoke as Adam smiled sympathetically at him.

"Actually, he may have a point." Ruth smiled as Will brightened. Harry narrowed his eyes.

"Dubrevnikov had a particular MO. This woman has the same methodology from what I can see. Lucas' contact must really believe it's her." Ruth warmed to her theme. "She had to learn it somewhere."

"I'll go through all the records we have on her. See if she has any apprentices." Catherine got to her feet. Ros nodded, trying to keep herself alert as her head pounded and the room spun.

"Ros?" Alec looked at her as she narrowed her eyes. "Ros?"

Lucas was on his feet as she looked across at him. Harry pushed his chair back as Ros fell forward, almost hitting her head on the oak desk. Alec caught her before her head could connect with the wood.

"Ros!" Lucas scooped her up in his arms as Harry ordered him to take her to his office as Erin called for paramedics. Watching Lucas carry her away he wondered how much more his team could take.

Xxxxx

Tariq stared at the ceiling trying to work out what had happened to him. He knew he had been at work, that he had called Calum. Everything else was a blur. He rolled into his side glad that the rest of his family had gone home. He knew the girls and his mum needed to sleep. His dad had taken more persuasion.

"Why?" He whispered to himself. "What the Hell went wrong?" He closed his eyes hoping that things would make sense when he had slept. He raised an eyebrow as Malcolm walked Kath his room.

"Hi."

"Hello." Malcolm closed the door behind him. "Calum had the memory stick. It's alright , we have the information you wanted to give to Calum."

"Ok." Tariq paused. "What's happened? You look awful. Is Sarah ok? The dogs?

"Yes, Sarah drove me here. She's outside talking with Ruth and Lucas. Harry is trying to get some information from the doctor." Malcolm looked down. "Before you say anything I was waiting for your father to tell us that visiting is permitted."

"That's ok." Tariq looked at his mentor. "What's happened?"

"It's Ros."

"Ros? Our Ros?"

"Yes." The older man looked away. He knew everyone saw how close they were. He thought of Ros and Ruth as surrogate daughters. Ros being hurt clearly devastated him. "Earlier, she collapsed. Had some kind of seizures. The doctors are scanning her brain now."

"Bloody Hell."

"She had a head injury. Similar to yours but slower to take effect." Malcolm sighed.

"Will she be ok?"

"I don't know, Tariq. I honestly don't know."

Cccc


	20. Chapter 20

Damage limitation

Lucas glared at the floor, his ice blue eyes almost burning a hole in the enamel. He was relieved the paramedics had been prompt, whisking his wife away in the back of an ambulance before he could even state he was her husband. They'd allowed him to travel with her but he had been stuck in the Emergency Department waiting area as Harry went in search of news. Glaring at the chipped linoleum floor he promised himself that things would get back to normal. Ros and Tariq would be ok. They just had to be.

Xxxxxx

Catherine glared at the microfiche files as she tried to block out the world around her. The reading room in the basement of Thames House was only a few feet away from the memorial room which housed the infamous glass wall. She sighed, pushing all thought of the names engraved in the glass away as she let her eyes wander over the tiny print. She knew Tariq had come very close to having his name engraved there and didn't want to think how close Ros had got.

"Well." She muttered to herself. Her eyes skimming through the document in front of her. The picture of a young woman with a long black coat stared back at her. Catherine narrowed her eyes. The so called Fire Angel was dead - apparently betrayed and locked in a burning building.

"Ok. So who betrayed you? Who killed you and assumed your identity?" She whispered as she hit 'print' on the computer. She just hoped that Ruth and the others would be able to work it out.

Xxxxxxxx

"Lucas, sit down." Harry spoke calmly as the younger man paced the room. He had been silent since they had arrived at the hospital. Harry was worried, Lucas was never the most talkative man but seeing Ros collapse mid briefing had rendered him almost catatonic.

"Lucas, Harry." Mike walked into the small room. "Ros has just got back from her brain scan."

Lucas paled. He didn't know if he wanted to hear what the doctor had to say. All he knew was that he would have killed the man who had hit her, if he hadn't been killed at the bank.

"And?" Harry asked. Mike sighed.

"Lucas, sit down." The doctor pointed to a chair. Lucas had the distinct impression that was an order. He sat next to Harry as Mike took the seat opposite.

"The blood tests show Ros has anaemia. Low blood count in simple terms. Could have been caused by the blood loss from her head wound."

"Would that make her collapse?" Harry asked.

"It would make her light headed and feel faint." Mike paused. "The brain scan shows a small fracture of the skull, a bruise to the brain." He paused. "Lucas, I'm so sorry. She lost the baby."

"What?" Lucas looked up. "Ros was poisoned about eighteen months ago. She can't have any more children. We can't." He ran a hand over his face.

"Blood tests confirmed it - the beta HCG was very high. A diagnostic test; more accurate than urine tests. Lucas, she began bleeding shortly after being intubated. The nurse took the blood test. I'm sorry. It would have been very early days."

"Lucas." Harry paused.

"Can I see her?" Lucas felt sick. "Please?"

"Of course." Mike smiled slightly. "The anaesthetist is just taking her ventilator off her. No reason for her to be on life support now." He got to his feet. "The nurse will collect you."

"Did you have any idea?" Harry asked as Lucas blinked.

"No. We were told. Harrison, he poisoned her before. Before he." Lucas felt sick, thinking of the man who had attacked his wife. "We were told there was no chance of us having anymore kids. None at all."

Harry nodded as a young nurse appeared in the doorway.

"Mr North?"

"Yes." Lucas nodded.

"You can see Rosalind now, if you want." He nodded, getting to his feet as he did so. Harry watched them leave, his heart breaking for the young couple but relieved that once again Ros seemed to have survived.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Calum frowned, acutely aware he was the only technical officer left on the team. Tariq was still recovering and Malcolm was visiting him. He tapped a few keys on the computer, aware Erin was watching him.

"Anything?"

"Nothing since you lady asked me; five minutes ago." He ignored her arched eyebrow as he stayed focused on his screen. "Any news on Tariq and the boss?"

"Not yet." Beth sighed as she pulled her denim jacket on. "Catherine and Ruth have barely said a word."

"For goodness sake!" Ruth hissed at the computer screen as all eyes turned on her. Zaf and Dimitri exchanged glances.

"Pearce?"

"The Black Widow. Her and Igor have been seen in Mayfair and Bow."

"Bit of a difference." Adam walked over to her. Ruth nodded.

"He's clearly the money. She's the brains. The council estate in Bow just happens to house a former FSB defector - Sabrine Lloyd. She married a British man, hence the surname. Also happens to be Igor's cousin."

"Erin, Alec." Adam called across the Grid. "Bring her in. Alec, with me." He grabbed his jacket before marching off the Grid.

Xxxxx


	21. Chapter 21

Finders keepers

Alec narrowed his eyes as he drove through the city. Bow wasn't his favourite part of London but he knew that there was a fair chance the Russian defector had an idea they were looking for her. Part of him hoped Sabine made things easier for them and just stayed put. He had a feeling that wasn't going to be the case.

"Why?" Erin spoke calmly from the passenger seat. "Why now? Ilya and Elena had to know his cousin was living in England? Why didn't they drag her out of the woodwork back then? I don't get it."

"Family's are complicated." Alec shrugged his shoulders.

"And Igor wants the big family reunion?"

"We'll ask her." Alec snapped.

"You never talk about your family." Erin glanced at him. Alec nodded once.

"Nothing to talk about."

"You live with Juliet."

"Yes." Alec frowned. "Stop fishing. Some people, like Harry have a big family. Some of us don't. Some of us don't have anything to say. Do you hear Beth talk about her family? Zoe?"

"We know Zoe has kids; engaged to Zaf."

"Who's under investigation here? Me or the Black Widow?"

"Just trying to make conversation."

"Don't." He pulled into the car park behind the old council block. He killed the engine as she speed dialled Adam. She knew he was at the Mayfair address with Beth. He just hoped they were having a better time.

Xxxxxx

Lucas sat next to Ros as she dozed. The bandage covering her head wound had been changed and he had to admit she looked much better than before.

"Hi." He smiled slightly as she opened her eyes.

"What the?"

"We were in the meeting room. You fainted. Hit your head. They've done a scan because you knocked yourself out."

"I? Hold on." Ros tried to sit up, instantly regretting doing so. Lucas moved nearer to her, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Ros. You've fractured your skull. It's not serious but it's a crack. Lucky you've got such a hard head."

She narrowed her eyes at him as a nurse walked in. The young woman in a blue uniform looked impossibly young.

"Mrs North? Your father said to tell you that he's gone back to work. Not to worry about the children and he'll ring later."

"My father?" Ros felt the panic in her voice. Lucas smiled, thanking the nurse.

"Harry. He followed the ambulance down."

"Oh. Ok." She closed her eyes for a moment. "Lucas."

"You were pregnant."

"What?"

"The doctor said you lost our baby. That those bastards."

"Hold on. What parallel universe have we slipped into? I'm not pregnant. I tend to notice such things." Ros looked at him as if he was insane. "Remember what I was injected with? That was permanent."

"That's what I said. But you started bleeding down below and you have raised hormone levels. Ros,"

"Lucas. I know my own body. I am not pregnant and I haven't been for a while." She glared at him. "I'd know and you would too."

"Ros." She felt him squeeze her hand. "I'm sorry."

"Oh." He turned as the door to the room opened. The MI5 liaison doctor stepped into the room. "Ros? How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit over the head with a brick." She glared. "What?"

"Has Lucas told you?"

"Yes."

"Ah."

"Don't 'ah' me." Ros snapped. "What is it?"

"You are certain there's no chance that you could have been pregnant? I've looked at your records. I know what you were poisoned with."

"No chance." Ros stated firmly. "Mike?"

"You do have raised beta HCG levels in your blood. That's definite. However, pregnancy isn't the only reason it can be raised."

"Ok." Lucas felt Ros tense as he spoke. They could both see the quietly spoken man was trying to find the right words.

"I'd like you to have a few tests gone. More blood tests, a scan."

"Scan?" Lucas glanced at Ros who was staring directly at the doctor.

"An MRI."

"Why?" Ros snapped. "Look, I've got a fractured skull. I've had a small bleed on the brain. Nothing more, nothing else. I'm not pregnant and your blood test is wrong."

"I had the lab run it again. It's not wrong. Ros; I want to rule out Ovarian Cancer." Lucas looked away, tears filling his eyes as he heard the doctors words. Ros narrowed her eyes. The words echoing in her ears. She knew what he had said but there was no way it could apply to her.

"When can you do the scan?"

"Today." Mike paused. "It could be nothing. It could be you had what we call a metabolic pregnancy. The embryo didn't implant. Went straight through and the body mistakenly had the hormone levels raised. Like I say, we need to rule it out."

"Fine." Ros stated calmly, watching him leave before turning to Lucas. "I'm fine." Lucas nodded before pulling her into his arms.

Xxxxxxxxx

"Hi." Ruth walked into Harry's office as he set the phone back on his desk. He raised an eyebrow as she turned, pulling the blind as she spoke.

"Ruth?"

"Adam called in. He's on his way back in with Beth. Zoe and Zaf are chasing a lead in Peckham and Alec and Erin are at Sabine's place."

"Ok." Harry loosened his tie slightly as she crossed the room towards him.

"Harry."

"Ruth." His lips twitched into a half smile as she held his gaze.

"Icarus rises."

"What?"

"It's the only phrase coming out of GCHQ. They've been hacked or at least their signal has. Dimitri and Catherine are on the way there now." She paused as Harry took a deep breath. The door opened as he touched her hand.

"Calum!"

"Sorry, but you need to see this." Calum stated before hurriedly leaving the couple to watch him go.

Xxx


	22. Chapter 22

If anyone is reading this please review

Hacked

Dimitri drove through the streets, heading out of the city towards Cheltenham. Catherine knew they were going to find the staff at GCHQ were reluctant to speak to them. Ruth had warned them that there would be opposition to anything related to Section D. Part of her wished she was still MI6. At least then, she reasoned she'd be in ignorance to some extent over what her husband, dad and stepmother were involved in. One sideways glance at her friend had her believing he was wishing the same.

"Cath?"

"Yeah?"

"Ruth is ex GCHQ. Shouldn't she be doing this?"

"Someone had to stay on the Grid with Calum. Anyway, she says she left under a cloud. Wouldn't say anymore on it. I get the feeling she didn't want a trip down memory lane." Catherine paused. "She never talks about her time in GCHQ."

"Wonder why?" Dimitri paused.

"Past is the past." Catherine paused. He shrugged, knowing he would have done anything to get out of going to the bearmoth of the security services.

Xxxxxx

Ros laid on the scanner bed, trying not to think about anything other than the case. The noise of the machine distracted her but she couldn't push away the thought that she was very likely going to be leaving Lucas to bring up two young children alone. Her head throbbed as the scanner whirred into life but she knew the solitude wouldn't last long. Reality was about to hit her face on.

Ovarian cancer - it was the worst case scenario but the words ripped through her mind as she tried and failed to make sense of it. It made her feel sick; everything she had survived. Getting shot, blown up, betrayed, half drowned and her difficult relationship with her ex Jack. It seemed that cancer finally finishing her off was God's sick joke. She closed her eyes, wondering when she had actually stopped believing in a God when she knew the evil that lived unchecked in the world. She narrowed her eyes, praying that the radiology nurses wouldn't see her cry.

Xxxxx

Lucas placed the phone back in his pocket as he headed back into the hospital. The case seemed to be progressing well from what he had gathered from a slightly irate Ruth. With Harry on his way to Whitehall he could picture how she hated being the only member of the team on the Grid. He headed back to Ros' room hoping that she was back from the scan.

Xxxxxxx

"Icarus can sod off." Ruth muttered as she tapped away at the computer. Calum smirked as he watched the footage Malcolm had left for him. He knew his friend had been keen to do it himself but he had wanted to visit Tariq. Sighing he hoped the footage of Igor and the woman known as the Black Widow could be helpful. After his third viewing he was beginning to doubt it.

Xxxxxx

Harry narrowed his eyes, he hated the thought of Ros being stuck in hospital. He knew she hated being injured - that she saw it as a sign of weakness. Now he was at Whitehall he felt he needed her at his side. At least Ros was more objective when it came to Home Secretaries than he was. Since the debacle with Blake and then Towers he wasn't entirely sure he could trust his own instinct.

"Harry." He shook the middle aged woman's hand.

"Home Secretary."

"Pauline." She corrected. "How's Ros? I thought she'd be here?"

"She's been hospitalised - fractured skull with severe concussion. Still undergoing tests."

Crowther's hand flew to her mouth. She liked Ros; respected her as a professional. She knew the jokes about her and Lucas being the 'barbie and ken' of MI5 were unfounded. Ros Myers was the Ice Queen of MI5; she just hope she was ok.

"Is she going to be ok?"

"I hope so." Harry answered truthfully. "I really do."

"Tell me about Icarus." Crowther stared at him. "

Harry narrowed his eyes for a moment. He wanted to trust the woman in front of him, she had given him no reason not to but there was something holding him back.

"Harry."

"Icarus." He loved her in the eye, knowing he was taking a huge leap of faith. "Is a small group, a splinter group really. The brain child of a dead man high jacked by an egotistical man with delusions of grandeur and a woman lying about her identity and one trading on her connections to Cold War Russia. The bank job was a front. Patsies paid to frighten and wrong foot the police and security service."

"Did they succeed?"

"No, Home Secretary. They didn't and they won't."

"Glad to hear it." She smiled wryly. "But is that thanks to your team or luck?"

"Both." He got to his feet at the same time she did. The small woman was a master at not letting her diminutive stature fool people. Pauline Margery Crowther was no push over.

"Isn't it always? Give my regards to Ros and Lucas."

"I will." Harry nodded before stepping into the corridor wondering why he'd been called to what was essentially the headteachers office for nothing more than an update. He silently wished that just for once luck would be on their side.

Xxxx


	23. Chapter 23

Results

Ros closed her eyes as the scan came to an end. She knew the results would take a while to come through but there was no way anyone would see how worried she was. The results would be dealt with; whatever they were. Amy, James, Lucas and the two dogs they had adopted recently were what mattered. She'd survive. She had to, it was as simple as that.

"All done, Mrs North."

The far too cheery radiology nurse smiled. Ros nodded, forgetting the pain it caused for a moment. She kept her mouth shut, knowing the woman in front of her didn't deserve her vitriol. She'd save it for those that did.

Xxxxxx

Catherine glared at the austere building that Ruth had told her were full of mathematicians and analysts listening in to anything and anyone they want to.

"You ok?" Dimitri asked as he got out of the car. She nodded once before joining him. The early Spring sunshine caught her eye. She nodded.

"Yeah."

"Right then." Dimitri led the way to the main entrance of the building. He knew there was no way anyone there would volunteer information unless they absolutely had to. He smiled slightly.

"What?" Catherine raised an eyebrow.

"Thinking what Ruth called the people who work here." He kept his voice low. Catherine shot him a look that reminded him of her father.

"Spies on paper but with no idea how the real world works or what they are really involved with."

"Spies that spy on spies." Catherine sighed. A man behind them coughed.

"Isn't that a more accurate description of Internal Affairs?" The man in the Saville Row suit smiled at Dimitri. Catherine but her lip; feeling like a gooseberry and knowing Beth would be pleased that someone else saw how attractive her boyfriend was.

"Indeed." Catherine smirked.

"Case Officer Dimitri Levandis and Junior Intel Analyst Catherine Reid."

"John Fortesque." The older man shook his hand before finally acknowledging Catherine. "Senior Intelligence Coordinator; shall we take this to my office?"

Dimitri nodded once, slightly embarrassed at the attention he was receiving. Part of him wished Zaf, Adam or Lucas had taken this job. Catherine was enjoying herself immensely but saw exactly why Ruth had felt the need to escape the miserable building.

"Icarus rises." She stared at the dark haired man as they entered his office. She was immediately on edge, years of working in some of the world's less picturesque Hellholes had left her with an innate ability to tell when the situation was going to take a spectacular turn.

"Ah."

"Ah?" Dimitri turned as Catherine slipped a hand in her pocket, grasping the small devise Calum had told her would knock out any signal that blocked the tracker she was wearing. Dimitri held the older man's gaze. Catherine wished she was back on the Grid. She wasn't a field officer. She was a mum of two that sat behind a desk in a dingy London office. This was Zoe, Erin, Ros, Beth or even Ruth's area of expertise.

"You've heard of our slight emergency earlier today?"

"Your chatter repeatedly stating that Icarus rises? Yes. I'm assuming you didn't intend to broadcast that to the world?" Catherine was surprised at the older man's smirk.

"No." He paused. "No, it wasn't on my list of things to do today." He pressed a button on his desk. "Margot? Could you bring some coffee in? Thanks." He spoke into the intercom. Catherine and Dimitri glanced at each other. Something was wrong.

Xxxxxxx

Ruth looked up as Harry marched onto the Grid, heading straight for her desk.

"Any news?"

"Cath has activated the tracker. We can hear what is being said and follow her." Calum yelled. Harry sighed. He could barely keep up with the new tech and inventions the Geek Squad came up with. Ruth touched his hand gently, aware Calum wasn't looking at them.

"She's with Dimitri."

"You were in the field with Adam. There's no trees in Cheltenham."

"Not in GCHQ." Ruth rolled her eyes. "Lucas called. Ros is doing ok. She should get the results later today. Either way she's being discharged."

Harry smiled slightly before turning slightly to see Calum glaring at the computer screen.

"I do not like this. I'm seriously not liking this." Calum mumbled before pressing the keys in front of him. Ruth was at his side in seconds.

"Shit."

"Add that and a fan and it's going to be one Hell of a shitstorm." Calum nodded. Harry remained silent as he watched Fortescue hold a gun on his oldest daughter.

Xxxxxxx

"Police!" Erin yelled as she tapped her hand against the frosted glass of the flat door. "Police! Open up!"

"One, two, three." Alec mumbled before kicking the door open. He marched into the small flat as Erin tried not to gag on the smell that hit her. "Bloody Hell!" Alec snapped as he kicked another door open.

"Alec!" Erin yelled as she stepped into the bedroom. He was behind her in seconds, gun in front of him he swore in frustration as he realised what Erin was looking at.

"Sabine."

"She's been dead a while." He frowned, walking towards the body of the dead woman laying on the bed. "And she's a bomb."

"Excuse me?"

"Beth said the back manager had his hand on a pressure pad. That the whole thing would blow of his hand moved? Same here. Do not touch her head."

"Sweet Jesus."

"Unless he's on the Bomb Squad he isn't helping us now." Alec ushered her out of the room. "Seems Igor is tying up loose ends. Families eh?"

Erin raised an eyebrow.

"I'll call Adam and Beth; see if them or Zoe and Zaf had better results." She headed back to the car as Alec gingerly secured the flat.

Xxxxxxxx

"Ros, Lucas." Mike smiled. "I wanted the experts to tell you the results." He paused as Lucas kept his eyes on his wife. The room seemed smaller. Ros narrowed her eyes.

"I'd rather hear it from you."

"Ros." Mike paused. "Remember what I said?"

"And this is getting to the point, how?"

"Not cancer." Mike watched as Lucas closed his eyes. He looked as if the weight of the world had been taken from him. Ros frowned.

"It was a molecular pregnancy." He watched as her eyes narrowed. "You don't have cancer. The scan was clear. Nothing abnormal detected." Ros nodded before glancing at her husband.

"Not cancer." Ros sighed. "So, apart from a break in my skull I'm ok."

"Yes." Mike nodded. "Look, I'll leave you to it." He walked out of the treatment room as Lucas ran his hands over his face. Ros stepped towards him, resting a hand on his upper arm.

"Hey." She watched him. "None of this."

Lucas looked at her for a moment before pulling her into his arms. Ros tensed for a second before relaxing in his arms.

"I thought I was going to loose you. I."

"Never." She lifted her head to meet his eye. "No. You don't get rid of me that easily." She reached up, pulling him to her before kissing him. "I'm here to stay."

Xxxxxx


	24. Chapter 24

Apple and Trees

Catherine glared at the gun in the man's left hand. She was furious, the man in front of her was supposed to be on the same side as them. He was supposed to be loyal to Queen and country. If he wasn't, she dreaded to think what he was loyal to.

"Put the gun down." Dimitri stated calmly. Catherine narrowed her eyes, not trusting herself to speak. "Icarus rises? That's your doing isn't it? Your technical glitch."

"You really should leave some things to us." Fortescue spat. His hand shook slightly as he held the gun firmly on Catherine's midriff. The younger woman was keeping her cool, he couldn't help but see a little of Harry's traits in her mannerisms. He knew her father would be well aware of what was going on. Calum had insisted they both wore trackers - knowing GCHQ wouldn't expect it. If all was ok then there wouldn't be a problem. If there was an issue - they had cover. Now he was glad he hadn't dismissed Calum's worries as paranoia.

"I know you." The older man stared. "Section D. Pearce's lot. We had one of you working here. Left to have a baby."

"Sam." Dimitri nodded. "Why?"

"She was pregnant."

"I meant why are you doing this? You've got a clean record. You know what Icarus is, who is really behind it." Dimitri stepped forward. Catherine kept still, her eyes roaming the room. There had to be a way to get them out of there safely. She just had no idea what.

Xxxxx

"Calum." Harry's voice was decidedly low as he watched the images on the screen. "Do they know we can see and hear everything?"

"Yes." Calum nodded. Fear burned in the pit of his gut as he finally realised how Harry, Lucas, Zaf and Dimitri felt with partners who worked alongside them in the field. He silently cursed, knowing Catherine was supposed to be on the Grid. She wasn't a case officer. She had no business being in the field.

"Can they hear us?" Ruth asked. Calum shook his head once. She bit her lip, frowning as the Pods opened behind them.

"What is it?" Zoe asked as Zaf shrugged his jacket off.

"Dimitri and Catherine are being held at gunpoint." Calum stated; his eyes never leaving the screen. Zoe sighed.

"They've what? They were going to GCHQ!"

"Bloody Hell." Zaf crossed to the room. "What now?"

"Now Zafar." Harry paused. "Redflash Adam and Beth. She doesn't know yet. I don't want her hearing it second hand. Dimitri is an experienced officer."

"Catherine isn't." Calum interjected. Ruth shot him a look, knowing he was worried sick but the attitude wasn't helping anyone. Zoe nodded before heading to her desk, moments later she'd managed to contact Malcolm, Adam, Erin and Ros. Ruth turned to see her friend staring at the phone.

"Zoe? What is it?"

"Erin."

"Please tell me she's ok. I don't think Calum can take much more." Ruth glanced across to the technical officer who seemed oblivious to them.

"She's ok and so is Alec. They found Sabine. Dead."

"Oh."

"I've sent a clean up team, but Erin says its murder. Looked professional." She paused as Harry approached.

"KGB?"

"I don't know." Zoe answered. "Why is nothing straightforward? Why can't Ros just stumble across a normal bank robbery? Why does it have to lead to this?"

"Perks of the job." Harry deadpanned. "Ros has been released from hospital. She's fine."

"Really?" Ruth looked him in the eye.

"Yes. And she's going to be ok. All clear Lucas said. They're on their way back in. See Beth is told about Dimitri as soon as." Harry watched as Ruth nodded. She could see he was worried sick about his oldest child and furious that a desk officer had left the Grid. Ruth sighed, the guilt weighing heavily on her shoulders. She knew the only reason Catherine had gone was due to her own reluctance. She avoided everyone's gaze before heading back to her desk. She had to do something, but she had no idea what.

Xxxxxxx


	25. Chapter 25

Shot

Catherine narrowed her eyes. She could barely contain the anger burning in her gut. Thoughts of Charlie and Lilly crept into her mind, fuelling the anger. There was no way she was leaving Calum a single dad.

"Put the gun down."

"Do as the lady says." Dimitri raised a hand as Catherine took a step forwards. His heart was pounding in his chest as he watched the younger woman. Catherine held Fortescue's gaze.

"Why are you doing this?"

"You could never understand." His hand shook. Catherine nodded once.

"I'm going to count to three and then you are either going to shoot me or drop the gun."

Dimitri took a breath, wondering what the young blonde was playing at.

"One."

"Cath."

"Two." She lunged forward, grabbing the gun and spinning the older man around. The gun clattered to the floor as Catherine bent his left arm behind his back, forcing him against the wall.

"Catherine." Dimitri immediately hid the gun before holding his own on the man Catherine pinned against the wall.

"Wasn't just Adam that survived Syria, Baghdad and the West Bank." She jumped as Dimitri set the fire alarm off; the water squirting from sprinklers and the cacophony of sirens filling the air. He grabbed the man's other hand as they frogmarched him through he ensuing chaos into the sunlight.

Xxxxxxx

Beth jogged through the Pod doors, shrugging her jacket off as she headed towards Ruth's desk. Adam headed straight for Harry's office. He could see the older man pacing the inner office talking to someone on the phone.

"Sabine is dead." Ruth explained as Harry and Adam appeared from the office. Calum yelled as he stood up. The computer screen in front of him held his attention.

"Calum?" Harry marched over to him as the phone on Ruth's desk began ringing. The analyst grabbed it on the second ring.

"Dimitri?" Ruth gasped. "Where are you? Are you ok?"

"Calm down Pearce." Dimitri laughed. "You didn't say you were sending me to Cheltenham with a ninja analyst! We're fine. We're on the way back, with a guest."

"Ninja analyst?" Ruth frowned. Harry marched across to Ruth, tapping a key on the phone to activate the speaker.

"Dimitri. Catherine. You both have some explaining to do."

"Da, Sir. We have a detainee helping us. Can we have an interview room ready please?" Harry smiled at Catherine's slip up. Relieved she was apparently fine he nodded. "Zoe will sit in with Dimitri. My office within 30 seconds of your return. Clear."

"Clear." Catherine ended the call as Dimitri drove. She couldn't help thinking that despite being soaking wet she and Dimitri had found a genuine lead.

Xxxxxxx

"I am fine." Ros stated as she marched along the corridor. Lucas raised an eyebrow, knowing that she was not going to let a little thing like a major health scare stop her. He fell into step beside her.

"It's my job to worry. Husband. It goes with the job description." Ros raised an eyebrow.

"Don't."

"Yes Boss."

He lead her through the pods as the organised chaos of the Grid appeared to play out in front of them. She jogged down the steps, heading towards where Adam, Ruth and Harry stood.

"Can't leave you lot alone for five minutes. What did I miss?"

Cccc


	26. Chapter 26

Girl Power

"Are you supposed to be out?" Harry asked as Ros shrugged her jacket off. A sly smile crept up her face. There was no escaping the relief she had that cancer hadn't been found on her scan. The fact she'd miscarried without even knowing she was pregnant could be dealt with later. At home. In private.

"Prisons are overcrowded. Don't you watch the news?"

"Mainly because we fill them up." Adam smirked. "You ok?"

"Always." Ros nodded. Her stock answer when she really meant to tell the person asking to shut up and go away. "Erin and Alec?"

"On the way back in." Ruth explained; glancing to where a visibly calmer Calum was brining Malcolm up to speed with events.

"Catherine left the Grid. What is it with desk spooks going out into the real world?"

Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"We were short staffed."

"So?"

"Icarus had links to Cheltenham." Zaf spoke. "Or to John Fortescue."

Ruth felt the colour drain from her face. The name hadn't rung s bell initially - her worry for her step daughter holding her attention. Harry glanced at her, keeping quiet.

"Get everyone back here. Bar Tariq of course. Briefing Room as soon as." He watched as the members of the team dispersed to their individual work stations, stepping a little closer to his wife Harry spoke quietly.

"Thank God your taste in men improved."

Ruth blushed, turning to look at him.

"Thank God the right one noticed."

"Oh I noticed." He held her gaze as her cheeks flushed. "Maybe later I could show you how much I notice." Ruth bit her lip, nodding once before hurrying back to her desk. Harry smiled, relieved that even now he was no longer on the right side of fifty his wife still seemed to want him. He watched her go, wondering what it was his younger wife saw in him but knowing from past experience not to ask.

Xxxxxxx

"Mum." Tariq pulled on his battered denim jacket. "I know you worry but me having seven shades of."

"Tariq Masood!"

"Beaten out of me is nothing to do with my work."

"You are a spy!"

"Keep your voice down Zee!" Mas interjected. "Hush woman! He was doing this work long before you and I found out about it. I spoke with his boss. I'm satisfied he is safe there."

"See?" Tariq sat next to his mother. "I know you worry but when I said I work in an office in London I was telling the truth. I'm a desk spook. I devise computer programmes, gadgets, stuff like that. I'm a junior technical officer. Getting attacked was a fluke. Could have happened if I was stacking shelves in the mini mart."

"I worry." She held his hand. "When your father called. When he told me, life support? Head injury? My own heart stopped. My boy. My only boy and I might have lost you." She wiped a year from her eye.

"Not because of my work." Tariq lied. "Cmon lets go home. Docs wouldn't have said I could go if they didn't think I was ok."

"Home?" Mas raised an eyebrow. "Not the office?"

"Home. Family first today- the grid can manage without me. One more day anyway."

Massood smiled, glad his son was appeasing his mum for once.

Xxxxxxx

"He's in the holding pen." Beth nodded as Catherine jogged towards her.

"What has my sailor boy done to you?"

"Sprinklers. Calum?"

"Gone to make coffee." Alec answered as Catherine headed towards the kitchen. Her blonde hair hung in mats around her face as her soaking wet clothes seemed to dry on her skin. She stood in the doorway watching as her husband rinsed a mug under the tap.

"Hi."

"That tracker isn't waterproof." Calum stated. "It was a prototype- the damn thing will be wrecked."

"Sorry."

"You could have died. Count to three." He gripped the sink. "All I could think of was you dead and how the Hell I explain that to our babies. I went through that when Matthew died. I had to tell everyone- it's me that's told Rosie about her dad. I could see he having to do that with Charlie and Lilly. Keep you alive in their memories."

"So now you know how Ruth and I feel every time you and Dad leave the Grid." Catherine shivered. Calum hung his head. "You married me knowing I can handle myself. Ok, I'm not Beth or Ros. But I have survived living in Lebanon, West Bank, and a couple of other hellholes. You knew that."

"Cath."

"So don't turn it on me now. Don't give me this shit! I don't do it to you when you almost get yourself killed. That wasn't the first time I have taken a gun from a nutter - and in the past they were a lot bigger and scarier than him."

Calum nodded, finally turning to look at her.

"Sorry." He whispered as he reached for her.

"I'm drenched."

"Don't care." He hugged her tightly. "Your dad is pissed with you too."

"I can deal with him." She whispered as he held her. "It's this case I'm worried about."

Xxxxx


	27. Chapter 27

Daddy's Girl

Catherine sighed as she stepped back from Calum. She knew she had to talk to Harry. He wouldn't cut her any slack just because she was his daughter. Stepping away she saw Harry watching her as Dimitri jogged back onto the Grid.

"Briefing room, ten minutes. Catherine." He frowned. "My office."

"How come Dimitri gets to change clothes but I have to walk around like Stig of the Dump?" Catherine huffed as Calum rested his jacket over her shoulders. Harry stepped into his office, pulling the blinds - a sure sign she was in major bother.

Xxxxxxxx

"Sir." Catherine stood in front of the desk as Harry looked up at her. She was beginning to think she was about to be sacked.

"You are not a field officer."

"I know."

"You and Dimitri may have been killed."

"I know."

"You put yourself in a vulnerable position- one which is outside your remit." Harry kept his voice low. Catherine nodded.

"It was me or Ruth."

"So? You expect me to chose between my child and my wife?"

"As a boss."

"Dammit Catherine!" He was on his feet. "Yes, I am your boss. And part of me thinks you should be sent back to 6. As your Dad I just want to know you are ok."

Catherine bit her lip. Nodding once she suddenly realised how scared he had been.

"I survived Israel."

"Just!"

"West Bank, Gaza."

"And now you are a spook. It's different. You're on your own. No media organisations or government is going rush to the rescue." He walked towards her. "I can't promise to protect you here."

"I'm ok. Honestly."

"Don't go out in the field unless I'm aware of it first. Dimitri Is a good officer but I don't want him or any other field officer put in that position." Harry stood in front of her.

"Is this my dad or my boss?"

"Dad." Harry hugged her. "This time I'm your dad." Catherine hugged him back. "Please don't ever scare me like that again. You're still my baby however big you are and however well you can take care of yourself." He released her. "Get changed and get in the Briefing Room." He ushered her out. "If they ask."

"I had a right bollocking." She smiled before slipping out.

Xxxxx

"Sabine is dead. We don't know where Igor is." Harry addressed the team as he looked around the oak table. "How can a rouge Russian, a dead arsonist, identity thief and a trained assassin elude us?"

"Well, two of us have been in hospital." Tariq stated as he walked into the room. "They let me out."

"And you were to be recuperating at home." Malcolm frowned. Beth smiled broadly. Ruth turned to face the newcomer; pleased that the baby of the team was still the same cheeky lad he always had been.

"Tariq."

"I'm better, honestly. I love my family but I'm going to back into a coma if I have to watch Dickenson's Real Deal. Mum's obsessed." He took his seat next to Calum. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Igor was last seen in Mayfair." Adam glared at the computer screen behind Harry. The image on the screen changed to show the man walking next to the woman they knew was a trained killer.

"The bank job was a cover." Ros stated firmly. "The group, Icarus were just a bunch of idiotic thugs we know, thanks to Tariq that were paid. The bank manager's murder was just to make them look more authentic."

"Because the last think we need is an inauthentic thug." Ruth paused as Lucas smirked. "Igor Gavrik has spent a lifetime working in the shadows. He knows how to avoid unnecessary attention. He doesn't want us to find him yet."

Harry frowned.

"He was an analyst."

"Same as me. I hid for long enough. This man has had almost identical training to me. Yes, he's ex FSB but he is still an analyst. He will know what our strengths and weaknesses are. That's why Ros and Tariq were targeted. The Section Chief and the technical officer. It's probably also why Catherine and Dim were targeted."

"Does it?" Dimitri asked.

"He knows who you both are; what you do." Zoe shrugged. "They've probably spent as much time watching us as we have watching them."

"Nature of the beast." Harry stated. "Dimitri. Adam. You interview Fortescue. Malcolm can you listen in?"

Malcolm nodded.

"The clean up team confirms Sabine's death is being treated as murder." Erin frowned. Alec swore. "Would Igor kill his own cousin?"

"Families are very strange things." Ros frowned, remembering when her own brother had held a gun in her face. She'd never forgive or forget it. The fact he was still in prison was little consolation. She touched her neck, aching slightly.

"Beth, liaise with local clowns; see what their investigation on her murder is." Ros instructed as Beth pushed her chair away from the desk. Ros continued issuing instructions as the meeting drew to a close.

"I have the JIC in less than two hours." Harry paused, suddenly aware that he and Ruth were the only two left. "Where did Catherine get her dry clothes from?"

"Me." Ruth paused. "I keep a few things here. Have done for years. The one time I didn't I ended up wearing Dimitri's shirt."

"It looked better on you." Harry stated honestly. Ruth blushed. "She's ok."

"Yes. She is. Fortescue being involved- I."

"You think he knows you're back? That you're here?"

"I doubt he remembers his stalker. God I was so pathetic." Ruth paused. "And don't say otherwise."

"I'd say you were lonely." Harry watched her for a moment. "I know I was."

"Harry."

"Most of the team weren't here then and I believe only Sam and Malcolm knew anything about that time."

Ruth blushed.

"It has no relevance to now. I know Malcolm won't mention it, even if he did remember." He took her hand. "When I think of all my indiscretions it's hardly my place to say anything." She touched his hand as he leant forward, kissing her gently.

"Harry." She whispered as he pulled back and kissed her forehead. "I."

"We will get to the bottom of this." He held her gaze as the Briefing Room door opened.

"Will."

"There's a call for you."

"Thankyou- calls have been known to wait." Harry looked up. Ruth smiled; hearing the pout in his tone.

"This guy can't. It's Igor. Calum is tracing the call now."

Xxxxx


	28. Chapter 28

The Call

Harry glared at the phone as he pressed the button for speaker phone.

"Pearce." He snapped, glad that Fortescue was already being interviewed. He narrowed his eyes aware that Lucas, Ruth and Ros were all listening in. He hoped Calum traced the call quickly. He hadn't wanted to deal with Ilya. He had even less desire to deal with the prodigal brother.

"Time has served you well, Harry."

"What the Hell are you playing at?" Harry spat. Calum held up his hand. He needed more time. Ruth bit her lip. Memories of Sasha stabbing Lucas and Elena manipulating them all came back to haunt her. It made her feel sick. Harry watched her for a moment; knowing what she was thinking.

"Old friends should look each other up from time to time."

"Igor. We have never been friends."

"My enemies enemy is my friend? Is that not the old saying?" Igor paused. "My brother is dead. His wife is dead. Evil bitch."

"One thing we agree on."

Calum held up for fingers.

"Why Icarus? Why get Fortescue involved? Sabine? The Fire Angel, Black Widow? You were hardly a ladies man."

Igor laughed.

"Not like you, Harry. No I'm not a fan of the female form as you and my brother were. You wish to know why the bank raid? Why the murder and betrayal? Meet with me."

Ruth glared at him. Harry looked away.

"When?"

"No time as the present. Today. Cafe Nero in Oxford Street. Come alone."

"I know what happened the last time a spy had coffee with one of your friends." Harry snapped. Igor laughed.

"You want to know the truth. You want to know why now? You want to prevent a terrorist attack? Four this afternoon. Fortescue will tell you nothing. He's already dead." The call ended abruptly as Catherine burst into the room.

"She gets that from you." Harry nodded to Ruth. "Yes?"

"Tariq has called paramedics. Fortescue is in cardiac arrest. Beth and Stan are trying to resuscitate him now." Catherine frowned. "Collapsed in front of them. Mike is on the way."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew the resusitation attempt would be futile; Igor Gavrik was finished with games.

Xxxxx


	29. Chapter 29

Meet

Ruth had sat in silence as Calum confirmed that he hadn't been able to trace the call. It had been bounced around every satellite known to man. She stared out over the cityscape aware that she couldn't stop Harry from going to meet the Russian. Igor Gavrik had successfully engineered it so that Harry had little option but to meet with him. Pulling her long navy cardigan around her she swore.

"Ruth."

"Adam." Ruth frowned, her eyes on the city.

"Fortescue is dead. Coroner is going to order a PM but it looks like some sort of slow acting poison." He stood next to her. "Mike suggested everyone who came into contact with him get checked out. Catherine and Dimitri are with Mike now. Stan says he's ok."

"Stan always says he's ok." Ruth paused. She was trying to workout what was going in. The Russian had to be more than revenge seeking. There had to be some monetary or political gain. Too many people had died.

"Yeah." Adam paused. "Harry is with Malcolm. Sorting out comms. He's an old hand at this." He watched as Ruth glanced at her hands.

"It's not Harry I'm worried about."

"Then what?" Adam frowned. Ruth remained impassive. She was one of the oldest and most trusted friends he had ever had. Seeing her almost shut down worried him. She gripped the barrier at the edge of the roof, considering her answer.

"I'm more concerned with why Igor wants to meet Harry. No one has asked that; he's timed it well. Fortescue is dead."

"Did you know him?"

"What?"

"John Fortescue. He was at GCHQ ."

"Not when I was there. I knew of him." She shrugged. "Adam, that's not the point. Harry is walking into a trap. We will all be looking at what is going on in that cafe. What won't we see?"

"Ruth?"

"All our resources will be on making sure Harry is protected and has back up. Igor knows that. He's an analyst. Harry is just bait in a trap. I want to know what Igor and his little hareem are planning for when we aren't looking." She turned to her friend. "Someone's got to look at the big picture."

"You think this is a distraction?"

"I'm an analyst. If I was also a psychopath it's what I would do. Get the eyes off the ball. Then strike. Sabine's is dead. The Black Widow and the so call Fire Angel are still out there. Where are they? I'd bet money on it not being Cafe Nero."

"Why haven't you told Harry this?" Adam paused as she looked away. The sky clouded over, matching her mood.

"Tariq was nearly killed, Ros was battered, Catherine and Dimitri were in danger. You think he hadn't thought that these people are serious. It's more than some thugs robbing a bank."

"We know that. Icarus was a joke. We know that Ruth."

"Adam." Ruth looked at her friend. "Harry won't listen to me. He'll meet the man and probably get himself killed. But he won't be the only casualty today."

"I can't believe you're talking about Harry's death so clinically." Adam stared at her in disbelief. "Ruth! This isn't you."

"He thinks he's protecting everyone. I don't want to think about it; I don't want to ever think about it but Harry is walking into danger and there is nothing I can do about it." She wiped away a tear. "You went through this with Fiona. You saw the danger and couldn't save her. That's the position I'm in now. Only I've been there before. Mani, Dolby, Gavrik. How many more? I can't keep doing this."

"That's the man you married." Adam spoke quietly. "Ruth, you don't mean any of this."

"I'm scared, Adam. I'm really scared. Luck will run out sooner or later." She sniffed. Adam hugged her.

"This is Harry." Adam paused. "Yes we've been on the back foot since Ros walked into the bank. Yeah but it'll all crinkle out in the end and I'm with Harry on this. We take the fight to them."

She nodded. The door behind them slammed as Adam stepped back.

"Ruth. Adam."

"I'll see you inside." Adam squeezed her shoulder before leaving her on the roof. Harry stepped towards her as Adam stepped towards the doorway. She sighed; turning towards Harry as he approached her.

"Harry."

"I have no intention of getting killed."

"Good." She turned away. "I didn't mean to sound so cold." Her hands shook as he watched her. Ruth had never been cold or clinical. That was a characteristic he associated with himself or Ros and Adam. Never with Ruth.

"You're right." He stood next to her. "People have died. Been injured. Tariq and Ros are lucky to be here."

"I."

"It is a distraction. That's why I'm not taking back up."

"Harry." She turned to face him, eyes wide with unshed tears. "You have to!"

"No, I've done more dead drops and meets than I've had cooked dinners. I'll have a tracer, a recorder on me but I can't waste resources when civilians may be in danger."

She shook her head, looking away.

"Infuriating man."

"Yes."

"I can't lose you. I just." He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Can't go on. Must go on." He kissed her hair as he held her. "If your analysis is right and I'm certain it is then I'm safe. It's what Igor has planned that worries me." He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of her shampoo as she tightened her hold on him.

"Not without you. I tried it once. I may as well have been dead for real." He stepped back, gripping her arms.

"Don't say that! Don't you ever say that!"

"Don't do this alone. Take Adam or Zaf. One of them. Minimal back up is better than none." She stared at him. "I was working everything out in my head. I didn't mean what I said to Adam. I was just joining the dots. Trying to see a pattern."

Harry brushed her windswept hair away from her face. He held her gaze for a moment. It was clear she was terrified they had missed something. They were the jugglers - only if they dropped a ball people died. She hated the thought she was going to miss something - drop the ball. He knew she was just as terrified as the day she'd been thrown back into their lives. It broke Harry's heart to see her so scared. Gently he kissed her, his lips on hers so briefly she assumed she'd imagined it. Her hands gripped his coat as her eyes fluttered open.

"You come back to me alive. You understand?" Harry nodded before kissing her again, the kiss growing more and more passionate as Ruth tried to convey what her words failed to do. She gasped as her back hit the wall of the staircase, Harry pinning her between the brickwork and his body. She gasped as he slipped his hand beneath her shirt; his lips on her neck sending shockwaves through her skin.

"Harry." She whispered as he pulled back.

"I'm not walking into a death trap. I've not got a death wish." She sighed as he looked her in the eye. "Igor isn't winning this sick little game of his. We are." She touched his face; running a thumb over the five o clock shadow that had begun to appear.

"Just come back to me, that's all I ask. Just come back here." He kissed her again as her knees turned to jelly, gripping his arms she let him deepen the kiss. She pulled away as oxygen became a necessity. "Harry." He rested his forehead on hers, breathing heavily he smiled as she said his name.

"Always."

"Meet him if you must but come back to me." She blinked back a tear. "Ideally in one piece." He chuckled. He kissed her hair gently.

"I promise. I'll take Alec and Zaf. I'll come back; to you and the children. I'll always come back." He kissed her again as Ruth rested her hands on his chest. She paused as he spoke; knowing he meant every word.

Xxxxx


	30. Chapter 30

Caffeine and consequences

The small coffee shop was packed with young men and women chatting away as they ordered more varied types of coffee than Harry had ever heard of. He glanced at his own cup; firmly gripped in one hand. Plain black coffee, straight forward and unadulterated - the exact opposite of what the world he inhabited. He didn't trust Igor. Never had and never would.

"Harry."

"You're early." Harry stated as the Russian sat opposite him. Igor inclined his head to one side slightly.

"You look well."

"This meeting is nothing to do with my health and appearance." Harry narrowed his eyes slightly. Igor laughed.

"You English, you are supposed to be all experts at the small talk. Polite chit chat. But not you." Igor shook his head.

"Small talk is for friends and acquaintances. We are neither."

"You killed my brother."

"No." Harry stated firmly. "Ilya threw himself off the Enver tower. No help from me. Elena met her end because of her lies and trechary." Harry kept his voice low, aware of his surroundings.

"And what of my so called nephew? Your son."

"DNA tests show he is not my son." Harry stated firmly. "You know that. Ilya is the boy's father. Why are we here? Why kill Sabine?"

"She lied. She's a traitor." Igor shrugged. A young toddler threw a temper tantrum as Harry thought of Gracie-Jo and his promise to Ruth. He glanced back to Igor, fixing his gaze.

"Why are we here?"

"The future depends on this. You thought Icarus was the puppet master." Igor sighed. Harry remained silent. There was no way he was going to confirm or deny anything the man said. He glared at the bald man. "You have nothing to say?"

"On the contrary." Harry spoke calmly. "Just not to you."

Igor laughed. He threw his head back, exposing fillings and bad dentistry. Harry glared, he knew Ruth had been right. It was a distraction. His eyes narrowed as he saw the gun trained on his gut.

"I think you should finish your coffee."

Harry pushed the cup away from his face as he held the other man's gaze. It was clear the man intended to kill him but he was certain the other man wouldn't pull the trigger in a crowded coffee shop.

"What do you want? Why all this? It's not revenge. You wouldn't have that much forward planning."

"Stand up."

"If I refuse? You shoot me dead where I sit and try to get out of this coffee shop unnoticed without being stopped? I credit you with more intelligence." Harry sat back in his chair. He knew Alec and Zaf were close by, hearing and seeing everything that was going on. "Since your minions failed to rob the bank two of my officers have been hospitalised. You know we are aware of what you are planning - it's this meeting I'm intrigued by."

"Stand."

Harry smirked; he had the other man on the back foot.

"No."

"Harry, I know you have people here. I know you are aware that I intend to kill you. I also know you have operatives looking for my friends." He clicked the safety off the gun. "I'm afraid it is futile. You see, Harry my cousin died as she betrayed Russia. Fortescue died at his own hand as he betrayed his homeland. He was a coward."

"On that we agree."

"Indeed." Igor nodded. "You cost me dear Harry but I do not wish to kill you. The bank provided me with financial means. The cooperation of my friends gives me the means to remove the heart of those who have hurt me."

Harry narrowed his eyes, his pulse racing as he heard Zaf in his earpiece.

"Find Ruth."

Harry stood up abruptly, knocking the table over as he did so. Surprised gasps and shouts radiated around the room. Igor stepped back as Harry advanced on him; his eyes blazing in anger as he punched him. Igor fell backwards, hitting his head as the barista jumped over the counter yelling.

"Stay away from my wife." Harry snarled, ignoring the younger man. Alec appeared as if from no where, appeasing the coffee shop owner as he and Harry bundled Igor out into the street.

Xxxxxxx

"Adam?" Erin spoke as she walked along the street outside the police station. The officers had been surprisingly helpful which Erin found to be a welcome change. Holding her phone to her ear she listened as Adam instructed her to get back to Thames House.

"Isn't Harry meeting that moron?"

"Yes." Adam stared at the street in front of the park as he watched the woman they knew as Fire Angel run across the road. "He's not the target. He's the distraction- get back to theGrid. Keep Catherine there. I don't care if you have to tie her to the chair; do not let Cath Reed leave the Grid.

"Ok." Erin agreed before getting into the car and driving off. She just wondered why Adam was so concerned. Ruth had been adamant that Catherine and Tariq would be on the Grid. She was in the field with Calum and Ros. Swearing under her breath she realised what Adam was so worried about. Pressing her foot to the accelerator she prayed she was wrong.

Xxxxxxxx

"I have eyeball." Dimitri stated as he hung around the corner of the street. He waved Big Issue magazines about as he watched the dark haired woman pass, ignoring him. "Big Issue?" He called as she ignored him. "Heading west." He stated.

"Ok." Beth jogged along, her earphones hiding the earpiece she wore. "I have her."

"Call signs please." Malcolm sighed. He knew he would be ignored. Ruth smiled sympathetically. She knew he was a stickler for the protocols where the younger officers were far from it. The Obs van they were in rocked as Calum swore. The van door wrenched open as Calum pushed Ruth to the back. Gloved hands grabbed him as Ruth yelled for backup. Malcolm grabbed a metal bar; catching the attacker square on the back of his neck. Gunfire rocked the van as Ruth screamed.

Xxxxxxx


	31. Chapter 31

Ok?

Ruth scrambled to her feet as the gun clattered to the floor of the van. Malcolm pinned down the larger assailant with the metal crowbar as Calum ran after the smaller man. The whole incident had lasted seconds but felt so much longer. Running a hand through her hair she picked up the gun.

"Malcolm?" Ruth gasped as she realised her mild mannered friend had hit someone. He glanced up at her.

"Do you think it is necessary to hit him again?"

Ruth shook her head slightly. The man in front of her groaned as Ruth reached forward to remove the balaclava that covered his face.

"You shot the van. Malcolm doesn't like it when people shoot his things." She paused. "This is the idiot that hit Ros with the gun."

"Then perhaps I should hit him once more." Malcolm glared. "You hit my friend and you shot my van. This does fail to put you in my good books."

Ruth picked up the phone, requesting back up as an explosion could be heard in the distance. The ground beneath the van shook as Calum reappeared empty handed.

"I am seriously fed up with people trying to kill us." Calum seethed as he reached them. Ruth bit her lip.

"There's been a bomb blast, can't hear anything from Ros or the others." She glared at the man Malcolm had apprehended.

"So? What now?" Calum placed handcuffs on the prisoner before bundling him into the back of the van.

"The Grid." Ruth took charge. "Too many people have died already and I think our new friend has some explaining to do."

Xxxxxx

"Lucas?" Dimitri coughed as the debris from the destroyed building crashed around them. The dark haired spook lifted his head, groaning. His back burned with the effort of getting to his feet.

"You ok?"

"I think my prosethis is knackered. I liked this one." Dimitri looked at the mangled metal at the end of his partially amputated leg. "Bomb?"

"Probably." Lucas frowned; touching his coms. "Ros? Ros?" Lucas struggled to his feet as Adam and Will appeared. Sirens and car alarms continued to deafen them as Adam helped Dimitri up.

"Ros? Beth?" Will looked around. "Did they get out?" The rain began battering the concrete as Lucas glared.

"What?"

"Beth found the bomb. In there." He nodded toward the destroyed but disused wear house next to the tourist information centre. "Igor was always going to focus on something very British. Like London Bridge."

"And Beth went in."

Dimitri ran a hand through his hair. "What is it with the women in section D? Are they trying to find the most bizarre way to commit suicide or is it me?"

Lucas glared as a dust cloud emerged from the partially destroyed entrance. Ros emerged from the smoke with a stumbling but clearly furious Beth. The older woman began coughing as she braced herself on her knees. Lucas crossed to her.

"Hey."

"Got it."

Ros hacked some more as Dimitri and Beth exchanged glances. Adam ordered a clean up team.

"You ever heard of a little army unit called Bomb Disposal?" Dimitri raised his eyebrows as Beth looked him up and down.

"No time. That wasn't the bomb - it was the trigger. Bomb has been made safe." She coughed. Will handed her a bottle of water. "Thanks." Beth smiled. "If I hadn't disconnected the trigger from the main device we'd be wearing wings and sitting on clouds right now." She drank the water as Lucas squeezed Ros' shoulder; knowing that it was the only contact she would allow when they were on duty.

"Ok, so we're not dead." Will stated. "What about the others?"

Xxxxxxx

Alec drove towards Thames House, hoping that the speed cameras would be forgiving. He knew it was very unlikely that Ruth would bail him out and save his driving licence. Again. Zaf sat in the back of the car with Igor, surprised that none of the little friends Igor had attracted had put an appearance in. Harry flexed his knuckles as the skin and tissue swelled and burned. He knew a fractured metacarpal when he had one; he was mildly surprised Igor's head was hard enough to break bone.

"You know this is futile?"

"Be quiet." Zaf stared at him. "You have some serious middle child issues. Your brother does a swan dive off a tower and now you want to finish what he started? Please? Sad. You should get your own life; stop living in Ilya's shadow."

"Harry, you let this upstart talk with me this way."

"Right now, you're lucky to be in a position to hear him. You are also incredibly lucky that this car has a pathetically small boot capacity." Harry paused. The man glared. Harry's lip twitched as he realised that Igor had been prepared to ask for a deal.

Xxxxxx

"Tariq." Catherine was on her feet as the pod doors whooshed open. Erin shook her head.

"Stay here. I just spoke to Alec, your dad is ok. Stay here." Erin paused. "They have Igor with them."

"Thank God. Ruth isn't answering comms. Calum's gone quiet. I can't get hold of Adam or Ros but I know there's been an explosion." Catherine looked away. Erin nodded. She sympathised with the younger woman but knew there was nothing she could say to calm her. With Igor in custody she just prayed what had been a routine bank robbery was over.

Xxxx

A/N is anyone reading? Epilogue to go


	32. Chapter 32

Epilogue

Ros sat on the living room floor watching the television news. She ached everywhere and was exhausted. She smiled slightly as the dog snored peacefully. The Rottweiler cross was the daftest thing on four legs and currently had all four paws in the air as she slept.

"Amy and James are snoring." Lucas sat behind her. His legs either side of her as he settled on the sofa. "Ros."

"The news are calling it a gas leak." She sighed as his hands began to work the knots out of her shoulders. Her eyes closed of their own volition.

"At least that doesn't give Igor and his friends any more publicity."

Ros nodded. She was exhausted and Lucas' hands on her shoulders and back did nothing to help her fight the need to sleep. He kissed her temple as she leant against him.

"When you were in the bank." His voice was low. He hated thinking about what could have happened- that he could be a single father - a widow with two grieving children.

"Hey." She turned to him. "Don't, you don't get rid of me so easily." He smiled as she leaned into him kissing his gently on the lips. He got to his feet, taking her hand as he did so.

"I never want to be rid of you. Ever. Bed." He kissed her again. Ros smiled, letting him lead the way.

Xxxxxx

"Hey." Beth looked up as Dimitri examined his ruined prosethis. The former SBS man was clearly annoyed. She sat next to him. "I don't think that survived."

"No." Dimitri glared at the tangled metal. "It was really comfortable too. Great for work." Beth nodded.

"Sorry."

"Eh? Beth you saved Ros and the hostages in the bank. You risked your life, twice." She shrugged, looking away for a moment. He touched her chin as he spoke. "Don't apologise." She smiled slightly; holding his gaze for a moment.

"Ok, Sailor Boy." He kissed her before discarding the ruined leg. Right then it didn't seem important.

Xxxxxxxx

Ruth carried two slightly overfilled coffee mugs into Harry's office. He kept his eyes in her as he spoke to the Foreign Secretary over the phone. Ending the call he took the drink from Ruth.

"Malcolm is not a happy man. His van."

"I know." Harry sighed. "I'm just glad no one was injured." He looked over her; subconsciously checking for any injury. Ruth smiled.

"I'm fine, drink your coffee."

He smiled as his eyes raked over her frame.

"I just spoke to Vladimir Ivanov and the Foreign Secretary. Seems Igor is wanted back in Moscow ASAP." He sipped the hot drink. "They want to extradite him. Lincoln isn't that keen. Thinks it could be tantamount to signing a death warrant."

"And what do you think?" Ruth held his gaze. She knew he still felt a little guilty over his involvement with Elena. She frowned as he considered her question.

"I think I am a spook, not a politician. I also think we have children at home that need us." Ruth nodded, knowing that was the only answer she was going to get.

"I called Graham. The kids are at home with him and Terri. They're fine. He sounds awful but he assured me Gracie and Nick are sleeping." She watched her husband. "Graham says he has tonsillitis. But yes, I want to go home."

"He had that a lot as a boy. Missed his appointment to have the blasted things removed. My fault- as Jane kept me well enough informed of."

Ruth sighed, very few knew it was Jane that had been an adulterous partner as much as Harry. That it was her with the explosive and violent temper. She'd seen the scars on her husband's torso that he wouldn't account for. She took his hand before leading him towards the Pods. He smiled slightly, turning lights off as they left. Somewhere in the back of his mind he couldn't shake the idea that there were still too many loose ends that needed tying up. He had a feeling they never would be.

Xxxxxxx

A/n until next time xx


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